nah
YBREAK
SERIES
981
by Bernard Seton
Prepared especially to give you broader scope
in your study of this quarter's Sabbath School
lessons, there is a chapter for each lesson in
the quarter. Take advantage of this opportu-
nity to enhance your study.
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Dear Sabbath School Members,
The Lord is pouring out such rich and abundant blessings upon our South Ameri-
can Division that it is like the widow's cruse of oil, and we are discovering
that it is necessary to go to our neighbors to ask for more "containers" so
that these too can be filled with God's overflowing blessings--the blessings
of new members joining our church ranks in great numbers.
What the South American Division needs most at this time are chapels and
schools made necessary by the increase of membership. The recently organized
West-Amazon Mission in particular needs new chapels urgently. The city of
Fortaleza needs an evangelistic center. A great deal of help is needed for
the new Trans-Amazon Academy already under construction and for other academy
construction in Brazil. We are thankful for the evangelistic outreach of our
secondary schools and rejoice in their growth.
I would like to express our gratitude to all of you in the Sabbath Schools
throughout the world for your help in the past as well as for the assistance
you will be giving us this Thirteenth Sabbath, for we are sure that your
traditional generosity will be abundantly manifest. As a result of this
united effort by the people of God, we will see the fruition of these proj-
ects in the South American Division.
We extend to you our love, fully abiding in the glorious hope of our Lord's
soon return.
Yours in Christ,
Presided
L•6 NUT. — 4611
TH11.11PHONE 241.0066
CABI.K: DIVISION
611612
1—A.L. 3-81
Gifts are a sign of caring. We like to give gifts to those we
love. How about the best gift? Let's invite someone we
love to Sabbath School and church on the next Com-
munity Guest Day. Your friend may accept the best gift
of all, eternal life. Caring can mean eternal life. Yes,
caring is life.
DAYBREAK
SERIES
Adult Sabbath School Lessons (USPS 702-480) / No. 345 / July-September, 1981
Contit
1.
God the Revelator
2.
Everlasting Father
3.
Eternal Son
4.
Holy Spirit and Holy Trinity
5.
Creator and Sustainer
6.
The Law of the Lord—I
7.
The Law of the Lord—II
8.
New Lives for Old
9.
Trust and Obey
10.
Life, Death, and Resurrection
11.
Sleepers, Awake!
12.
Into Eternity
13.
Fruits of Belief
The Adult Sabbath School Lessons are prepared by the Sabbath School Department
of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The preparation of the lessons
is under the general direction of a worldwide Sabbath School Lesson Committee, the
members of which serve as consulting editors.
Editorial Office: 6840 Eastern Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20012
Lesson Author: Bernard E. Seton
Editor: Gordon M. Hyde
Editorial Secretary: Florence L. Wetmore
Circulation Manager: Gary Grimes
Art and Design: Pacific Press
Scripture references other than from the King James Version quoted by permission in this
quarterly are as follows:
NASB. From
New American Standard Bible,
copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1963,
1968, 1971, 1973„1975. Used by permission.
NEB. From
The New English Bible,
copyright © by the Delegates of the Oxford University Press
and the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, New York City.
NIV. From the
New International Version of the New Testament,
copyright © 1973 by New York
Bible Society International. Used by permission.
Phillips. From
The New Testament in Modern English,
Revised Edition, copyright © 1958, 1959,
1960, 1972, by J.B. Phillips. Used by permission of The Macmillan Company and Collins Pub-
lishers.
RSV. From the
Revised Standard Version Bible,
copyright © 1946 (renewed ©1973), 1952, and
1971, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in
the U.S.A., and used by permission.
Braille lessons available. See page 112.
Adult Sabbath School Lessons (standard edition). Published quarterly by Pacific
Press Publishing Association, 1350 Villa Street, Mountain View, California 94042,
U.S.A. One year subscription in U.S.A., $2.40, single copy, 60 cents. One year sub-
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Copyright © 1981 by Pacific Press Publishing Association
How well do you know your Bible?
Do you have to ask your pastor or Bible instructor to
answer those difficult Bible questions your associates are
asking?
It is just a matter of time before what you have in your
head is all you will be able to depend on.
If your B Q is down, daily lesson study will help you to get
prepared for the soon-coming conflict.
THIS WE BELIEVE
Studies in Christian Doctrine—Part I
Introduction
There are several reasons for studying the Christian doctrines on which the beliefs
of Seventh-day Adventists are based. First, memories are weak, and we need to
refresh our knowledge. Second, we are expected to grow in knowledge, and so we
need to restudy our faith in order to enlarge our understanding of it. Third, biblical
truth is of so rich a nature that fresh glimpses of its wealth always await our discovery.
Fourth, while the substance of truth does not change, the form in which it is cast and
the appeal that it makes need study from time to time to keep them relevant to the time
and place where truth is taught. But jewels that are reset do not change their nature
though their value may be increased. So it is with truth. After all, God has adapted His
teachings to the constantly changing human scene—from the Garden of Eden to the
advent movement and modern times.
On a much smaller scale, each generation of Adventists must take a fresh look at its
beliefs, applying them to local circumstances and expressing them to meet contem-
porary needs. Such study does not yield to unbelief; indeed it provides an opportunity
to strengthen faith in eternal truths.
Let us consider one more reason for a fresh look at some of our major beliefs. When
we first accepted them, they probably came through another person. We need to
make them our own by means of mature study. By regular, thoughtful attention to
Scripture we can make each doctrine an expression of our own conviction on that
subject. We can thus gain a deeply personal faith that is founded on a rich under-
standing of the Bible and a closer fellowship with the Father; Son, and Holy Spirit.
And while we are studying, we should remember that our God expects us to serve Him
with all our mind as well as with our other abilities. It has been said that the duty to use
our intelligence is. a moral duty, especially in the area of religious knowledge.
Carrying out that duty may spell the difference between life and death!
Two quarters' Sabbath School lessons (as we shall have) will not suffice for a
survey of all the doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; so we have to choose
some and leave others. The very act of selection may help to underline those teach-
ings that we see as most necessary for the 1980s. Similarly with the choice of
supporting verses—it may stimulate us to find varied scriptural support for beliefs we
hold dear.
Finally, and most important of all, there is the need to apply each article of faith to
our way of living. Unless this is done, we are merely collecting lifeless theological
declarations that become as dry as the proverbial hills of Gilboa. It is our act of
applying that gives the Holy Spirit the opportunity to breathe anew into each doctrine
the breath of life that brings a change in our lives. There is not one biblical teaching
that does not require personal application to make it come alive for each of us; and
there is not one, no matter how difficult or even theoretical it may appear, that will not
bring spiritual life to them that accept and apply it in daily living.
Therefore, in the words of the most famous of all citizens of Tarsus: "Keep before
you an outline of the sound teaching which you heard from me, living by the faith and
love which are ours in Christ Jesus. Guard the treasure put into our charge, with the
help of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us" (2 Tim. 1:14, NEB). Then with confidence
we shall be able to proclaim, "This we believe!"
7
LESSON 1 June 28 to July 4
fi Golf_ tth
evellat r
"God, who at sundry times and in
divers manners spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets, hath in
these last days spoken unto us by his
Son, whom he hath appointed heir of
all things, by whom also he made the
worlds" (Heb. 1:1, 2).
This text is our first memory verse
for the quarter. It deserves to be
memorized. It contains much vital
information in a few words. It covers
about 4000 years of God's dealings
with His people, recording that
which He had spoken to them in the
persons of the prophets, then, in
early New Testament times, in the
Person of His Son. Through the same
Son, He had created the universe, of
which the Son had already been
appointed heir and therefore
Sovereign Lord.
Such a text provides a firm
foundation for our first week's
lesson, which teaches that He whom
Christians worship is a God who
makes Himself known. If He had not
chosen to reveal Himself to His
creatures, they would have no means
of finding Him. God must take any
first step, therefore; and our lesson
touches briefly on the three principal
ways in which He has given His
self-revelation to men. This deals
with a foundational doctrine.
Without it, none of the others would
have been formulated: from it, those
others flow.
This first lesson for the new
quarter falls into four parts. First
comes the revelation of God through
His creation (parts 1 and 2); then
comes the unfolding through
inspired Scripture (parts 3 and 4);
then the supreme revelation in the
Person of Christ (part 5); and last, the
application of this doctrine of
revelation to our lives, or our
response to what God has revealed.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
In His Creation
(Rom. 1:19, 20)
2.
In the Heavens
(Ps. 19:1)
3.
In His Word—I
(2 Tim. 3:16)
4.
In His Word—II
(2 Peter 1:20, 21)
5.
In His Son
(John 1:18)
6.
Our Response
(Heb. 4:12)
God the Revelator
LESSON 1
Sunday
June 28
Part 1
IN HIS
CREATION
How may all men and women receive their introduction to
the nature and works of Deity?
"All that may be known of God by men lies plain before their
eyes; indeed God himself has disclosed it to them. His invisi-
ble attributes, that is to say his everlasting power and deity,
have been visible, ever since the world began, to the eye of
reason, in the things he has made" (Rom. 1:19, 20, NEB).
This is a special statement, not a broad, general one. Paul has
earlier introduced "the gospel of Christ" (verse 16), and now he
turns to consider those who have not heard it. They have not
been left completely without a way to know God. All that men
are capable of learning about Him without special revelation
has been widely displayed in nature. Sufficient revelation of
"his everlasting power and deity" (verse 20, NEB) has been
given in His creation that all who will may know that God is.
While even the most careful study of nature cannot tell us
anything about the
person
of God, it can prepare us to accept
His
presence
in the universe. Nature is not found to be self-
creative or self-sustaining. "It is not by inherent power that year
by year the earth yields it bounties and continues its march
around the sun. The hand of the Infinite One is perpetually at
work guiding this planet. It is God's power continually exercised
that keeps the earth in position in its rotation."—The
Ministry of
Healing,
p. 416.
God invites skeptic and believer alike to examine the visual
evidence for His creative activity. Isa. 40:26.
A more literal translation of the second half of this verse and
adjustment of the punctuation brings out the prophet's mes-
sage more clearly: "that bringeth out their host by number, and
calleth them all by names: through the greatness of his might
and great power not one faileth," or "not one is missing."
Before man was made, the stars and planets in their brilliant
and orderly array silently spoke of the existence of a Creator.
The heavenly bodies continue to present that evidence, and all
men and women are invited to take time to lift up their eyes on
high and read it. Our survey of the heavens can open the eyes of
our minds to the greatness of Him who conceived, created, and
sustains the stars in their courses.
THINK IT THROUGH
What more can I yet learn about God from nature? What
effort am I making to acquire additional knowledge?
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 410-417.
10
God the Revelator
LESSON 1
Monday
June 29
Part 2
IN THE
HEAVENS
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
2-A.L. 3-81
What convictions did the psalmist receive as he gazed into
the heavens?
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament
sheweth his handywork" (Ps. 19:1).
The psalmist employs the same Hebrew words for "heavens"
and "firmament" as are used in Genesis 1:1 and 6. It is possible
to distinguish between the two by defining "heavens" as the
entire space in which all heavenly bodies are suspended, while
"firmament" is applied to the dome of the atmosphere into
which we look when we gaze at the space above us. The word
"declare" translates a Hebrew term that comes from a special
form of the verb "to write," and may be more richly rendered as
"tell with praise" or "celebrate." The word translated as
"sheweth" is still more vivid and suggests "proclaims" or
"celebrates with praise."
To him who thoughtfully looks at them both, the "heavens"
and the "firmament" reveal many aspects of their Creator's
nature—"the glory of God," His power, His majesty, His infinite
nature; "his handywork," His inventiveness, His skill, His su-
preme sense of order and beauty. To such an observer "day
unto day" will "pour out" or "gush forth" speech (as the origi-
nal word for "uttereth" implies), and "night unto night" will
"breathe out" or "declare" knowledge (verse 2). And this reve-
lation is worldwide, even universal (verse 3).
What questions concerning man did David's study of as-
tronomy provoke in him? Ps. 8:3, 4.
The psalmist was a keen observer of the heavens. What he
saw confirmed his belief in a Creator and led him to ask how
such an Almighty Being could bow low to care for so lowly, so
earthy and weak a creature as man. The answer revealed man as
the intended and still to be crown of creation, invested with
authority over animals, birds, and fish (verses 6-8). The revela-
tion increased the psalmist's admiration for the Maker of the
universe and Restorer of fallen man: "0 Lord our Lord, how
excellent is thy name in all the earth!" (verses 1,9). Modern man,
having gained a deeper knowledge of that universe, has still
more reason for believing in that Creator.
When did you last explore the night sky? Why not, on the
first clear night this week, spend five silent minutes gazing
into the starry heavens and gaining a fresh glimpse of the
glory and greatness of God?
Read all of Psalm 19, noting the close relation between ac-
ceptance of the revelation of God in nature and fulfillment of
"the law of the Lord." Read also Ellen G. White Comments,
S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol.
1, p. 1085.
11
God the Revelator
LESSON 1
Tuesday
June 30
Part 3
IN HIS
WORD—I
What additional revelation, beyond that offered by nature,
has been given to man?
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Tim. 3:16).
The realm of nature speaks a wordless language that can say
very different things to different people. Mankind, therefore,
needs clearer instruction if he is to gain deeper insight into the
attributes and powers of the Creator. Christianity claims that
this is given in the Bible or Scripture, and that this has been
"given by inspiration of God."
There are two permissible ways of translating the Greek orig-
inal of the text quoted above. It can be rendered "Every God-
breathed writing is," or, "All scripture is God-breathed," that is,
"inspired." Some interpreters would wish to use the former to
suggest that some scriptures are inspired and some are not. As
we shall note, however, there is no compelling reason to decline
the second reading which harmonizes best with the total wit-
ness of the Bible about itself.
It is difficult and dangerous to build a doctrine on one text,
and here it is not necessary, for the whole Bible unites to sup-
port the claim that it is "given by inspiration of God." Re-
peatedly from beginning to end it claims to quote the speech of
the Most High in many of its passages (see examples in Gen. 1:3,
6, 26, 28, 29; and Rev. 22:13, 17, 20), without claiming a dicta-
tional inspiration, its writers repeatedly declare that they are
giving out "the word of the Lord" (2 Kings 17:13; Isa. 1:2, 10; 6:8;
42:5-8; Joel 1:1; Gal. 1:11, 12; Rev. 1:1, 2).
List some of the personal benefits that may be gained from
a personal knowledge of the Bible. 2 Tim. 3:15-17.
The Holy Scriptures are the only books that hold within their
pages a worthy original revelation of God and His plan for
recreating the creation that has been so brutally marred by sin.
Those Scriptures can make their students "wise unto salva-
tion," and convincingly teach, rebuke, correct, and train them in
righteousness or in right conduct. In so doing, they reveal their
more-than-human origin and establish their claim to inspiration
and to being a prime source of our knowledge of God.
THINK IT THROUGH
Of what value is the Bible's own testimony concerning its
divine origin?
FURTHER STUDY
Discover in 1 Peter 1:10-12, 23, 25 further contributions to the
doctrine of the inspiration of the Bible.
12
God the Revelator
LESSON 1
Wednesday
July 1
Part 4
What claim is made concerning the source of biblical
IN HIS prophecy?
WORD—II
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of
any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost" (2 Peter 1:20, 21).
The primary application of Peter's words is to prophetic pas-
sages in the Old Testament; but since Scripture itself makes no
distinction between the inspiration that produced prophecy
and that which prompted the remainder of the Bible, the apos-
tle's declaration embraces all scriptures from Genesis to
Malachi. The same principle can be carried over to all New
Testament writings, for these clearly endorse the Old Testament
and similarly claim God as their Inspirer. Compare 2 Peter 3:15,
16, where Paul's epistles are classed with "the other scrip-
tures."
Although the Bible was written by men, its messages were not
created by them. They were mouthpieces or penmen for the
Holy Spirit, who "drove" or "impelled" them to convey for the
record the divine disclosures. Thus the two Testaments
preserve revelations from God about God and His plan to save
mankind. The Scriptures, then, speaking in human language,
present us with a fuller portrait of the Creator than we can ever
discover in nature. (See Ex. 34:5-7; Isa. 57:15; Micah 7:18; 1 Tim.
1:17.)
Evaluate the claim to authorship conveyed in the following
passages. Ex. 20:1 with Deut. 5:22; 2 Sam. 23:1-3; Jer. 1:1-10;
1 Cor. 2:12, 13; Heb. 1:1, 2.
On many occasions. Moses, David, Jeremiah, Paul, and other
Bible prophets claimed to be recording or proclaiming the di-
rect speech of the Lord, as distinct from passing on His mes-
sages in their own words. This gives impressive authority to
their communications and closely connects the attentive reader
with God's own thoughts on matters of eternal consequence.
"The Bible is God's voice speaking to us, just as surely as
though we could hear it with our ears. If we realized this, ... the
reading and contemplation of the Scriptures would be regarded
as an audience with the Infinite
One."—Testimonies,
vol. 6, p.
393.
THINK IT THROUGH
What does the Bible reveal about the nature of the Almighty
that cannot be clearly drawn from nature?
FURTHER STUDY
Nine of the twelve minor prophets speak "the word of the
Lord" to their peoples. Trace this in the opening verses of all the
twelve save Amos, Nahum, and Habakkuk, then discover that
same "word of the Lord" in those three also.
13
God the Revelator
LESSON 1
Thursday
July 2
Part 5
In spite of all that is declared in nature, and in spite of the
IN HIS SON
abundant revelation in Scripture, men and women still sadly
misunderstand the character of God. If Deity had not decided to
reveal Himself more clearly, men would have formed poorer and
poorer ideas of His character and intentions and would have
lost all saving knowledge of their Creator. To save man from this
destructive ignorance, God planned a still clearer revelation of
Himself.
By what means has God worked to make up for man's
inability to see Him?
"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him"
(John 1:18).
Some have had visions of God (Isa. 6:1; Eze. 1:1; Dan. 7:9,10),
but not even Moses (Ex. 33:18-23) or Elijah (1 Kings 19:9-13), or
Paul (2 Cor. 12:1-4) has been permitted to see God. God's glory
is so great and man's sin-weakened capacity is so small that no
human eye can bear to look upon the divine radiance (John
5:37; 6:46; 1 Tim. 6:16). A pitying, merciful God chose, there-
fore, to reveal Himself in the Person of His Son, who so lived on
earth that our text can state: "He [God the Son] hath declared
him," and the Son Himself could say: "He that hath seen me
hath seen the Father" (John 14:9).
Think upon the significance of each item in Paul's summary
of the incarnate revelation of God in Christ. 1 Tim. 3:16.
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
14
It is thought that this verse reflects an early Christian confes-
sion of faith, set in the form of a hymn. "Mystery" comes from
the Greek
musterion,
"a hidden thing" or "a secret." "Among
. . . pagans
musterion . . .
was used for secrets or secret doc-
trines, to be made known only to those who had been specially
initiated. . . .
"In the NT,
musterion
refers to something that God wills to
make known to those who are willing to receive His revelation,
rather than to something that He desires to keep secret."—
S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 610.
"Godliness" is rendered by most modern translators as "our
religion"; while the best manuscripts favor "he who was man-
ifest in the flesh" rather than "God was manifest." The text
clearly refers to Jesus, who in His human form so appealingly
revealed the character of His Father. (See also John 1:14.)
Which principal characteristics of the divine mind do you
see most clearly revealed by Jesus of Nazareth?
Testimonies,
vol. 8, pp. 265, 266.
God the Revelator
LESSON 1
Friday
July 3
Part 6
Apart from its revelations concerning the Creator and His
OUR
works, what does God's Word reveal about ourselves?
RESPONSE
"The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than
any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of
soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner
of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12).
The Word is very much "quick" or "alive" today. Age does not
lessen its powers to reach us. It still has a special ability to pierce
our self-protective armor, to get to the heart of our aspirations
and our temptations, our strengths and our weaknesses. The
Word lays bare our secret thoughts and exposes our motives. It
challenges us to accept its teachings and heed its biddings.
What other benefits accrue to those who allow themselves
to be guided by divine revelation? Ps. 119:1, 105.
Those who faithfully follow the Bible's counsel find it is reli-
able and rewarding. As a result, they become "blessed" or
"happy." They also receive guidance for daily living. Divine light
shines on their pathway. In this respect, the Word may be
likened to a map which, if followed, will direct its reader to his
desired destination. But note that its directives must be heeded;
the Word cannot help those who reject its counsels. To see God
in nature, to learn about Him from the Bible, to become ac-
quainted with His Son—beneficial as all these accomplish-
ments may be, they are deceptive, they are useless if we do not
yield to their messages and allow them to bring us in penitence
to our Maker. .
In the light of all that has been revealed to us, what should
be our response to God the Revelator? Ps. 95:6, 7.
This is the natural response from those who truly see God. It
might rightly be said that those who do not render Him such
homage have not really seen Him. They have caught a distorted
view which leads them to deny what their finer senses would
confess. And remember that there are none so blind as those
who will not see. May we be preserved from such blindness!
Rather, may we "see the king in his beauty," and say: "Thou art
worthy,
0
Lord, to receive glory and honour and power" (Isa.
33:17; Rev. 4:11).
THINK IT THROUGH
To what extent has our personal knowledge of God as
Creator, King, Redeemer Increased during the past year?
Face whatever truth an honest answer brings.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 409, 410.
15
LESSON 2 July 5-11
Everllastilng Fait
"The eternal God is thy refuge, and
underneath are the everlasting arms"
(Deut. 33:27).
It is amazing that such a concept of
God should have come from such a
time and setting. Israel was still on
the east of Jordan, it had not yet
conquered Canaan, and Moses was
about to die and be buried in the
alien land of Moab. Yet the veteran
leader yielded not an iota of his
vision and knowledge of the
Almighty. After 40 frustrating years
that would have destroyed the faith
of a lesser man, he firmly retained his
understanding of the Lord whose
lieutenant he had been throughout
those four difficult decades. In
unshaken conviction he saw Him as
the Eternal, the Guardian, the
Sustainer, the Champion of His
chosen people.
The God who lived in Moses' time
is just the same today. The Eternal
will not alter. "I am the Lord, I
change not" (Mal. 3:6). We, then,
having accepted His eternity, can
range throughout human history and
find the everlasting Father revealed
in many different times and ways.
This aspect is touched upon in
Sunday's lesson. Succeeding days
consider His creatorship, His
kingship, His holiness, His paternal
love, and His redemptive act in
giving His Son. Study of these
features should bring us to our knees
in humility and gratitude before Him
in whom "we live, and move, and
have our being" (Acts 17:28). We
may be led to confess, "My God, Thy
benefits demand more praise than I
can give"
(The Church Hymnal,
no.
71), but we should give Him the
highest adoration of which we are
capable.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
The Eternal
(Ps. 90:2)
2.
The Creator
(Isa. 40:28)
3.
Royal Lord
(Ps. 95:3)
4.
The Holy One
(Isa. 6:3)
5.
Loving Father
(Ex. 34:6)
6.
Our Saviour
(John 3:16)
Everlasting Father
LESSON 2
Sunday
July 5
Part 1
THE ETERNAL
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
18
Note Moses' telling contrast in his statement of belief in the
eternal nature of God.
"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou
hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to
everlasting, thou art God" (Ps. 90:2).
In this, the only psalm that has come down to us from Moses,
the veteran leader records his unquestioning belief in God's
eternity. He who wrote Genesis, chapter 1, clearly sees that the
Creator Himself must have existed before His creative activities.
Moses sees no bounds to that existence. God is from everlast-
ing to everlasting, that is, from timeless eternity in the past,
continuing into timeless eternity in the future. But that is ex-
pressed in human terms. There can be no "time" with the
Eternal. He lives in an eternal present. Therefore Moses can say:
"A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is
past" (verse 4).
Consider the mind-stretching character of God's definition
of Himself to Moses. Ex. 3:13-15;
6:2, 3.
The exiled Hebrew was being commissioned to lead his
people out of Egyptian slavery. He needed to know the identity
of Him who was sending him on that fearsome task. The reply
came, "I AM THAT I AM" (Ex. 3:14), which answer, it is now
generally agreed, may be better expressed in English as " I WILL
BE WHAT I WILL BE." To the Hebrews, this conveyed the con-
cept of the eternity and possibly the self-existence of God. The
proper name derived from that expression used to be rendered
"Yahweh," but this, for reasons of language into which we shall
not enter here, has been adjusted to "Jehovah." That name is
translated as "LORD" in Exodus 6:2 and is printed in capital
letters throughout the KJV. In Exodus 6:3, however, the old
anglicized form "JEHOVAH" is preserved. (See also Ps. 83:18;
Isa. 12:2; 26:4.) The most helpful rendering is probably that
given in the French: "L'Eternel." The English-speaking world
might well adopt the truly reverent title of "The Eternal," even as
James Moffatt has done in his translation.
It may be persuasively argued that the eternity of God is one of
His prime attributes and one of the weightiest incentives for us
to worship Him. He who always has been, ever is, and ever will
be (Rev.
1:4-6;
4:8) is the Creator and can have no rival (compare
Ex. 20:3; Isa. 40:25; 43:10; 1 Tim. 1:17).
Here we have only touched the lowest thread on the hem of
the glorious garment of God. Ought we not to seek a higher
understanding of His greatness? Let us consecrate some
time to doing this during this week's study.
Gen. 21:33; Ps. 41:13; 93:1, 2; Dan. 7:9, 10.
Everlasting Father
LESSON 2
Monday
July 6
Part 2
THE CREATOR
THINK IT THROUGH
The Eternal must also be the Creator, for, so far as human
reasoning can perceive, there must have been a time when the
Eternal was alone. If that aloneness was to change, creation had
to begin. Creation is shown solely as an act of the Godhead.
Although nature and man can do wonders in continuing the
productive processes on planet Earth, neither has the power to
start a creation. Creation demands a creative power outside that
which is created. The mystery of life remains in the mind and
hand of the Creator. The magnificent simplicity of Genesis 1:1
still stands: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth." This is spelled out more fully in Isaiah 42:5.
In the light of the glory of Creation, what questions concern-
ing the Creator should men solemnly consider?
"Nast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the ever-
lasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth,
fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his
understanding" (Isa. 40:28).
We hear, but we easily forget. We therefore need repeatedly to
face life's greatest questions and to remind ourselves of the
answers. Today's scripture enquires: "Hast thou not known:
hast thou not heard?" and we must admit that we
have
known,
we
have
heard—but alas, we are so apt to forget. We need to
reject the temptation to create Him in our own feeble image: He
is never weak, never tired; His resources are unlimited; His
knowledge is fathomless. He is able, then, to be "the Creator of
the ends of the earth" and all that lies beyond.
As Paul immersed himself in a study of God's ways, what
awe-inspiring conclusions did he reach? Rom. 11:33-36.
If we were to meditate on the person, the character, and the
works of God as deeply as did Paul, we, while not inspired,
would be led to express a level of wonder similar to his. In
particular we would recognize our God as the Originator, the
Sustainer, the Monarch of all created things, and to Him we
would render the highest adoration of which we would then be
capable (Rom. 11:36).
"Great, 0 Lord, is Thy kingdom, Thy power, and Thy glory;
great are Thy works, Thy wonders, and Thy praises; great also
is Thy wisdom, Thy goodness, Thy justice, Thy mercy; and for
all these we do bless Thee, and will magnify Thy holy name for
ever and ever." Attributed to George Wither (1588-1667).
FURTHER STUDY
Education,
pp. 99-101.
19
Everlasting Father
LESSON 2
Tuesday
July 7
Part 3
ROYAL LORD
Examine the significance of the brief description of our God
given by one of the psalmists.
"The Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods"
(Ps.
95:3).
The poet lived in a world of many gods. Only one small nation
had the vision and the courage to accept the revelation and to
choose to worship one God. Its spiritual leaders saw the "Lord
God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel" (1 Kings 18:36) as the only
deity worthy of worship; and in their better moments of faith the
ordinary citizens of Israel cried: "The Lord, he is the God; the
Lord, he is the God" (verse 39). When truly worshiping Him, they
turned from all other gods and saw their Lord as Sovereign
Ruler of the universe.
The psalms of David and other writers contain a wealth of rev-
elation concerning God's majesty, power, glory, justice, holi-
ness, and love. The Christian church has used the psalms for
some two thousand years and has thereby greatly enriched its
worship. We can enlarge our understanding of God by explor-
ing these same poems. We might begin with Psalms 11, 16, 18,
25, and 29 and continue till we reach the unparalleled insights in
Psalms 139, 145, and 147.
On the threshold of eternity, what charge is given to the
godly? What shout of praise will greet the ears of the Al-
mighty? Rev. 19:5,
.
6.
This nineteenth chapter of Revelation opens with four "Al-
leluias" (verses 1, 3, 4, 6) that proclaim the triumph of "the Lord
our God" over all opponents. The godly acclaim the Supreme
Being as "the Lord God omnipotent," acknowledging that their
Master and God is the Almighty, the All-powerful. This is not a
fresh discovery. It was revealed in Creation and in the Exodus. It
was recognized by Job (the title "Almighty" is used in the book
of Job more than in any other section of the Bible), Abram (Gen.
17:1), Isaac (Gen. 28:3), Jacob (Gen. 49:25), the psalmists (Ps.
68:14; 91:1), and by the New Testament believers, whose theol-
ogy was drawn so largely from the Old Testament. But this final
"Alleluia" is different from all others that have sounded in
human history. It is based, not on faith, but on visible, conclu-
sive evidence. (See Rev. 11:15.)
"Those who in heaven join with the angelic choir in their
anthem of praise must learn on earth the sound of heaven, the
keynote of which is than ksgivi
ng."—Testimonies, vol.
7, p. 244.
What practical application does my belief in God's omnipo-
tence have to my daily life as a professed Christian?
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 33-43.
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
20
Everlasting Father
LESSON 2
Wednesday
July 8
Part 4
Christianity is a courageous religion. It dares to offer stan-
THE
dards that are above and beyond the merely human. It calmly
HOLY ONE
does this while knowing that none of its followers is humanly
capable of reaching those standards. Its calm is based on its
knowledge of the Christian's God.
He
is sinless.
He
is the Perfect
One.
He
wants His followers to be perfect as He is and has
provided the power for them to be remade in His image. The
Christian, then, can regard his Lord's holiness in peace, know-
ing that his own sin can be overcome and forgiven by grace
from the Holy One.
THINK IT THROUGH
In Isaiah's vision of God (6:1-8), which of the divine qualities
was most prominent?
"One cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the
Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isa. 6:3).
We should join the seraphim and Isaiah in contemplating the
Lord's perfect holiness. If we catch even a glimpse of what they
saw, we shall join Isaiah in crying, "Woe is me! for I am undone;
because I am a man of unclean lips" (verse 8). If we fail to reach
that conclusion, we probably have not drawn near enough to
behold the King, the Lord of hosts, in His "endless wisdom,
boundless power, and awful purity."—Frederick W. Faber,
The
New Advent Hymnal
(Watford, Herts.: Stanborough Press,
1952), no. 35.
What connection does Peter make between God's holiness
and the moral standard set for Christians? 1 Peter 1:15, 16.
This call to holiness is no new requirement. (See Lev. 11:44;
19:2; 20:7, 26.) It stems from the quality of the divine nature. The
Holy One originally created only holy beings, and when and
since they fell (as all humans have done), He will re-create them
only in holiness. But "sanctification is not the work of a mo-
ment, an hour, a day, but of a lifetime.... Wrongs cannot be
righted nor reformations wrought in the character by feeble,
intermittent efforts. It is only by long, persevering effort, sore
discipline, and stern conflict, that we shall overcome. We know
not one day how strong will be our conflict the next. So long as
Satan reigns, we shall have self to subdue, besetting sins to
overcome; so long as life shall last, there will be no stopping
place, no point which we can reach and say, I have fully attained.
Sanctification is the result of lifelong obedience."—The
Acts of
the Apostles,
pp. 560, 561.
Have we tried fervently to see "the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up" (Isa. 6:1)? What progress are we
now making toward being holy as He is holy?
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 8, pp. 312-314.
21
Everlasting Father
LESSON 2
Thursday
July 9
Part 5
When, in response to Moses' request, God unveiled all of
LOVING Himself that the great leader could endure, what revelation
FATHER was given to Moses?
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
22
"The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord,
The Lord God, merciful and gracious, Iongsuffering, and
abundant in goodness and truth" (Ex. 34:6).
After the crisis at Sinai when Israel worshiped the golden calf,
Moses asked God: "Shew me thy glory" (Ex. 33:18). In response
the Lord replied, "I will make all my goodness pass before thee"
(verse 19), and He did this (34:5-7). Moses then saw, not man's
idea of God, but God's understanding of Himself. Since He is the
embodiment of truth, God's revelation of His character could
not be more accurate—though for man's sake it was only partial
in its coverage. But what a portrait it paints! Until the incarna-
tion, it remained the deepest and highest revelation ever
granted mankind outside of Eden. It merits our constant re-
membrance, that we might ever know our Maker's mercy, grace,
patience, goodness, and truthfulness. We must also perceive
the Judge in the picture, realizing He holds us accountable for
cherished iniquity, while forgiving what we confess (verse 7).
What description does the God-man who knows God best
frequently apply to Him? Matt. 6:9.
Although in Old Testament days the Creator was sometimes
perceived to be the Father (2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 89:26; 103:13; Isa.
9:6; Jer. 31:9), it was Jesus who most vividly taught God's
Fatherhood. From His Sermon on the Mount onward He intro-
duced His hearers to their "Father which art in heaven" and
made them aware of hitherto scarcely known divine attributes.
(See Matt. 5:16, 45, 48.) And the Son, in His own hours of
deepest need, addressed His divine Companion by the tender,
trustful title of "Father." (See Luke 22:42; 23:34, 46.)
"Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and
passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?
he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth In
mercy" (Micah 7:18).
"He [Christ] pointed His hearers to the Ruler of the universe,
under the new name, 'Our Father.' He would have them under-
stand how tenderly the heart of God yearned over them. He
teaches that God cares for every lost soul; that 'like as a father
pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.' ...
such a conception of God was never given to the world by any
religion but that of the
Bible."—Thoughts From the Mount of
Blessing,
p. 74.
Fundamentals of Christian Education,
pp. 307-309.
Everlasting Father
LESSON 2
Friday
July 10
Part 6
During the past five days our lesson has glanced—and no
OUR SAVIOUR
more than glanced—at a few of Deity's most notable qualities.
We believe them to be essentials of God's nature: they are what
He is. Today's study invites us to see the fruitage borne by those
qualities in relation to our sinfulness.
"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life" (John 3:16).
Let us look at these words as if we had never seen or heard
them before. What a startling, humbling, hope-creating an-
nouncement they bring! The great God, "the high and lofty One
that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy" (Isa. 57:15), not
only made our world but loves it so wholeheartedly and everlast-
ingly that He has given Himself in His Son to save His creation
from its self-destructive sin. He need not have done this: He
could have left us to our fate. But that would have been contrary
to the highest of all His qualities—love!
Compare Paul's and John's expressions of the same re-
demptive news. Rom. 5:8; 1 John 5:11.
The Bible clearly places the initiative for our salvation with the
Father: it is God who "gave," who "commendeth," who "sent."
It is not He who belatedly responded to our despairing cry, but
we who respond to His loving act. He wants His erring children
to be saved from sin and to live forever. This glorious fact should
arouse in us an ever-deepening gratitude. Study Ephesians
2:4-7 and savor that love once again, and again!
"It is a thing most wonderful,
Almost too wonderful to be,
That God's own Son should come from heaven,
And die to save a child like me."
—Bishop William W. How,
The Church Hymnary,
rev. ed. (London:
Oxford University Press, 1942), no. 436.
What does Jesus see as the kernel of eternal life? John
17:3.
In verse 2 the Son has acknowledged His privilege of giving
eternal life to those whom the Father designates. In verse 3 He is
not defining "life eternal" but rather speaking of one of the
essential conditions for enjoying that life, namely, possession
of a personal, experiential knowledge of God and of His Son. It
is also true, however, that eternal life brings with it the blessing
of knowing God in a way that is impossible during a normal
life-span.
THINK IT THROUGH
How may I increase my personal knowledge of God's love?
23
LESSON 3 July 12-18
"When the fulness of the time was
come, God sent forth his Son, made of a
woman, made under the law, to
redeem them that were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption of
sons" (Gal. 4:4, 5).
We must never forget that it was
God the Father who took the
initiative in man's salvation. It was He
who "so loved the world, that he
gave"; it was He who "sent forth his
Son" to be the Saviour of the world.
But we must also realize that "the
counsel of peace" was between
Them both, that it was by mutual
agreement (humanly speaking) that
the Son left the heavenly family and
came to earth as a human babe. At
the end of His short earthly life, He
laid down that life by His own choice
and will; no man took it from Him
(John 10:17, 18). There was thus
perfect cooperation between Father
and Son for the redemption of those
who were made in Their image.
"By His obedience to all the
commandments of God, Christ
wrought out a redemption for men.
This was not done by going out of
Himself to another, but by taking
humanity into Himself. Thus Christ
gave to humanity an existence out of
Himself. To bring humanity into
Christ, to bring the fallen race into
oneness with divinity, is the work of
redemption. Christ took human
nature that men might be one with
Him as He is one with the Father, that
God may love man as He loves His
only-begotten Son, that men-may be
partakers of the divine nature, and
be complete in Him."—Selected
Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 250, 251.
This week's lesson presents a few
of the many glimpses of the Son's
nature that are known to us. This is
done in the knowledge that much of
that nature is yet unknown and
unrevealed to man. From His virgin
birth we perceive His deity and
eternity. In the same breath we
acknowledge His humanity and
rejoice that His favorite
self-designation was "Son of man."
On the last day of our study,
leaving so much unsaid, we see Him
as Saviour. But He is also the hero of
our faith; so later lessons will add to
the portrait that is sketched this
week.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
His Incarnation
(Luke 1:35)
2.
His Deity
(John 1:1-3)
3.
His Eternity
(Micah
5:2)
4.
His Humanity
(John 1:14)
5.
Son of Man
(Mark
6:3)
6.
Our Saviour
(Heb. 4:15)
Eternal Son
LESSON 3
Sunday
July 12
Part 1
Men and women had known of God from the days of Eden, but
HIS INCAR-
their knowledge weakened and was increasingly distorted as
NATION
time removed them far from the original revelation of their
Creator. This was foreseen by the Father. From times eternal He
planned to give a direct disclosure of Himself in the Person of
His Son. Christians see this foreshadowed in Old Testament
prophecies. (See Gen. 3:15; 49:10; Num. 24:17; Deut. 18:18; Isa.
9:6, 7; Micah 5:2.) "Like the stars in the vast circuit of their
appointed path, God's purposes know no haste and no
delay."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 32. And 40 centuries passed
after the Fall before the Son left heaven and came to reveal
God's character in His own Person through the incarnation.
What momentous news did the angel Gabriel bring from
God to an engaged Jewish girl in Nazareth?
"The angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost
shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall
overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35).
Here we are observers of a most holy moment in human
history. The Godhead was visiting a humble but dedicated
young woman to appoint her as the mother of her Lord. The
Holy Spirit was to be the Agent to bring about that motherhood;
the Most High was to "overshadow" her to the same end; and
the Second Person of the Godhead was Himself to be the
divine-human Babe, the Son of Mary as well as the Son of God.
Thus did God demonstrate His intention of saving man from the
folly of his sin.
Discover the Godhead's two principal objectives in the in-
carnation. Matt. 1:18-23.
To Luke's beautiful account of the incarnation, Matthew adds
further vital details that arise from Mary's conception of Jesus,
which has already taken place. It is without question a virgin
conception, "of [that is, by] the Holy Ghost" (verses 18, 20). That
miracle was for the saving of "his people from their sins" (verse
21) by giving them a Saviour who was sinless—"in all points
tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15), and there-
fore "able to succour them that are tempted" (Heb. 2:18). The
virgin birth also brought God among His people as "Em-
manuel" (Matt. 1:23). So eternity was linked with time in the
Person of the God-man Jesus.
THINK IT THROUGH
What effect does the virgin birth of Jesus have on my daily
life? To what extent is Jesus saving me from my sins?
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 34, 366, 367.
26
Eternal Son
LESSON 3
Monday
July 13
Part 2
HIS DEITY
In a series of related declarations, the apostle John
presents the subject of Christ's divine nature.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with
God. All things were made by him; and without him was not
any thing made that was made" (John 1:1-3).
In these words that are the New Testament counterpart to
Genesis 1:1, the apostle introduces his Master as the
Logos—
the "expression of God." He portrays Him as eternal and divine,
the co-Creator of all things with God the Father. "If Christ made
all things, He existed before all things. The words spoken in
regard to this are so decisive that no one need be left in doubt.
Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was
with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed for
evermore."—Ellen G. White Comments,
S.D.A. Bible Commen-
tary,
vol. 5, p. 1126.
In speaking of Christ, how does Paul express similar exalt-
ing thoughts? Col. 1:15-17.
In verse 13 Paul speaks of God's "dear Son" and then
launches into one of his sublime passages concerning the Lord
(verses 14-18). He depicts Him not only as Redeemer (verse 14),
but as "the image" or similitude "of the invisible God" (verse
15), the Creator (verse 16), and the Eternal One who holds all
things together (verse 17). Note that the act of creation is set in
the past tense ("were created"), while the nature of Christ is
expressed in the present tense ("is the image," "is before all
things"), thus conveying the truth of the ever-continuing like-
ness of the Son to the Eternal Father.
In His self-knowledge, what striking claim did Jesus make
before the Jews of His day? John 10:30.
Stark in its simplicity, astounding in its significance, the an-
nouncement staggered His hearers. They knew the identity of
the Father, and had demanded of Jesus: "If thou be the Christ,
tell us plainly" (verse 24). When He told them the truth, they
recognized what it meant: "Thou, being a man, makest thyself
God" (verse 33). Jesus, of course, was referring here to a unity
of spirit, thought, purpose rather than person; each divine Per-
son had in His deity the same convictions as the Other.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is my belief in the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth strong
enough to give me complete confidence in His power to save
me from my sin?
FURTHER STUDY
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 246-251.
27
3-A.L. 3-81
Eternal Son
LESSON 3
Tuesd
ay
July 14
Part 3
Belief in the divine Sonship of Christ calls for belief in His
HIS
eternity. Also, the incarnation could only be possible for a
ETERNITY
preexistent one—a person who did not previously exist could
not appear in another form—he would be making his first ap-
pearance. The doctrine of Christ's preexistence, then, merits at
least a further day's study.
What specific prophecy pinpoints Messiah's birthplace and
ancestry?
"Thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the
thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto
me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been
from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2).
Micah, a younger contemporary of Isaiah, also had the Mes-
sianic hope. He looked forward to the restoration of "the first
dominion" (4:8). He saw Bethlehem as the birthplace of the
"ruler in Israel." (See also Matt. 2:1-6.) He speaks of Him "whose
goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." That
phrase is more than a reference to ancient ancestry; it pro-
claims Messiah's eternity. "Christ was God essentially, and in
the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over
all, blessed forevermore.
"The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from
eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the
Father."—Selected
Messages,
bk. 1, p. 247.
When Messiah appeared as Jesus of Nazareth, what star-
tling claim did He make? John 8:58.
"The Jews had committed the error of ascribing to Jesus a
merely temporal existence. They saw only the historical
man-
ifestation,
not the eternal
Person;
only the human, not the di-
vine. Jesus, therefore, reaffirms his eternal, timeless, absolute
essence."—William Hendriksen,
A Commentary on the Gospel
of John,
3rd ed. (London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1964), vol. 2, p.
66.
Christ reveals that, even when clad in human garb, He had
come to be conscious of His eternity, aware of the divine glory,
responsibility, and knowledge of man's failures and triumphs.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what ways does your knowledge of Christ's eternity
strengthen you today?
As surely as a knowledge of His eternity sustained our Saviour
in the last dread hours of His earthly life (see John 17:5, 24), so
our belief in His eternal oneness with the Father will sustain us
until we are united with Him in eternal glory.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 6, pp. 306-310.
28
Eternal Son
LESSON 3
Wednesd
ay
July 15
Part 4
Note how the beloved disciple confirms his Master's hu-
HIS
manity after asserting His divinity.
HUMANITY
"The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we
beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
John 1:1-3 instructs us as to Christ's eternal divinity, while
John 1:14 teaches that He took humanity upon Himself. The
Word, God's thought made audible, became man and thereby
God's thought made visible. The inspired writer chooses his
words carefully, and we should do the same when speaking of
the union of two natures—divine and human—in one Person.
The more accurate translation of the Greek of verse 14 is "the
Word became flesh" rather than "was made flesh," for our Lord
was never "made" a man. He, already existing, "became" a
man.
Trace the steps recorded by Paul in Philippians 2:5-8 by
which the Son of God fully identified Himself with man.
He who is in every respect equal with God did not allow that
prized position to prevent Him from rescuing man from the
clutches of sin. He emptied Himself of divine glory, took the
form of a human servant or slave, and humbled Himself still
further by obediently submitting to all that God saw necessary
for man's redemption. This led Him to the shameful, agonizing
death on a cross where He bore our sins and was thereby
subjected to temporary but awful separation from His Father.
This gives us a minute glimpse of the demands that were made
upon our Lord when He was born in Bethlehem. "He voluntarily
assumed human nature. It was his own act, and by his own
consent. He clothed his divinity with humanity. He was all the
while as God, but he did not appear as God."—Ellen G. White,
Review and Herald,
Sept. 4, 1900.
THINK IT THROUGH
What can I do today to avoid taking my Saviour's sacrifice
for granted?
" 'Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon
thou standest is holy ground.' We must come to the study of this
subject [Christ's humanity] with the humility of a learner, with a
contrite heart. And the study of the incarnation of Christ is a
fruitful field, and will repay the searcher who digs deep for
hidden truth."—Ellen G. White Comments,
S.D.A. Bible Com-
mentary, vol.
7, p. 905.
FURTHER STUDY
Ellen G. White Comments,
S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
vol. 5,
pp. 1126-1131.
29
Eternal Son
LESSON 3
Thursday
July 16
Part 5
SON OF MAN
THINK IT THROUGH
In what ways can you understand the views that Christ's
generation held concerning His origins?
"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of
James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his
sisters here with us? And they were offended at him" (Mark
6:3).
The young Preacher and His family were well known in His
hometown of Nazareth and lower Galilee. His humanity loomed
large in their eyes, so large that they did not even guess at His
veiled divinity. Some went so far as to hint that He was an
illegitimate child (John 8:41;
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 387).
Matthew 13:55 records the townspeople's question, "Is not this
the carpenter's son?" which suggests that they believed Him to
be the son of Joseph. These reactions confirm the genuineness
of His humanity.
What reasons can you give for the choice of the term by
which Jesus most frequently referred to Himself? Matt. 8:20;
9:6; 12:8; Mark 13:26; Luke 19:10; John 3:14, etc.
The Gospels record more than 40 instances where Jesus
called Himself "the Son of man." The title had Old Testament
origins (Ps. 8:4; Eze. 2:1 and numerous times thereafter; Dan.
7:3) and had Messianic associations for some Jews. On the
Master's lips, the Messianic overtones were strong (Mark 2:28;
14:62; Luke 12:8; John 13:31, etc.). The title simultaneously
stressed His humanity and His divinity.
We need to meditate more on the dual nature of our Lord.
"We never think of Christ enough as God, never enough as
Man; the instinctive habit of our minds being always to miss of
the Divinity, and the reasoning and enforced habit to miss of the
Humanity. We are afraid to harbour in our own hearts, or to utter
in the hearing of others, any thought of our Lord, as hungering,
tired, sorrowful, having a human soul, a human will, and af-
fected by events of human life as a finite creature is; and yet one
half of the efficiency of His atonement, and the whole of the
efficiency of His example, depend on His having been this to the
full."—John Ruskin,
Modern Painters,
(New York: E. P. Dutton
and Company, n.d.), vol. 4, p. 372.
How balanced are we in our understanding of our Lord's
twofold nature? What significance does this teaching have for
our everyday living?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 19-26.
30
Eternal Son
LESSON 3
Friday
July 17
Part 6
What assurance do we have that Jesus truly understands
OUR
the daily struggles that face us?
SAVIOUR
"We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with
the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like
as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15).
Our great High Priest is "Jesus the Son of God" (verse 14)—
Jesus, forever retaining our human nature, and the Son of God
having divine strength. He therefore has the ability, the capacity
to
sympathize
(a literal translation); that is, to feel with our
frailties
(both physical and spiritual weaknesses). For the sake
of emphasis, the writer expresses this first statement with a
double negative, then records the historical facts of Christ's
having been tempted just as we are while Himself remaining
free from all personal taint of sin in body and mind. At the same
time, His personal exposure to and victory over sin enables Him
to fortify us in our areas of individual need.
"By His humanity, Christ touched humanity; by His divinity,
He lays hold upon the throne of God. As the Son of man, He gave
us an example of obedience; as the Son of God, He gives us
power to obey."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 24.
Which aspect of the incarnation most deeply affects us?
1 Tim. 1:15.
This text is but one of several which may be used to answer
our question. (See also Matt. 1:21; 9:13; John 3:16; Luke 19:10;
Gal. 4:4, 5.) It states very plainly that Jesus came to save us from
our sins. If, by clinging to those sins, we do not permit Him to
wean us from them, then, so far as we are concerned, His
mission has failed—but the fault is ours alone. Are we willing to
face the responsiblity for our continued sinning, not just now,
but on judgment day? That is the disturbing question posed by
the Person of Jesus. But it is more than balanced by the assur-
ance that is proffered by His priesthood (Heb. 7:25).
THINK IT THROUGH
Have I proved the Saviour of the world to be MY Saviour too?
"In His promises and warnings, Jesus means me. God so
loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that / by
believing in Him, might not perish, but have everlasting life. The
experiences related in God's word are to be
my
experiences.
Prayer and promise, precept and warning, are mine."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 390.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"Growing Up Into Christ," pp. 67-75.
31
LESSON 4 July 19-25
£.1Ily Spllfilit and.
Tly Trfinfity
"The Comforter, which is the Holy
Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and
bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you" (John
14:26).
This memory verse alerts us to the
need for studying the nature and
office of the Holy Spirit in relation to
the other members of the Godhead.
When doing this, we should be
aware that one week's lessons are
just not sufficient for such study and
that recently a whole quarter has
been devoted to the topic. Many
books have been written on the
subject. We, then, can here do no
more than introduce ourselves to the
Third Person and the Trinity and
leave deeper study to other
occasions and to eternity.
This week's theme centers on one
of the deepest mysteries of our
religion. We generally feel more
comfortable studying about our
heavenly Father and His Son than
about the Holy Spirit. But that
comfort may be due to our being too
easily satisfied with an extremely
limited knowledge of those whom
we worship. We need to be less
complacent. In any case, we do need
to recognize that the Spirit is no less
important than His Companions, and
that He is very intimately involved in
our spiritual life.
The doctrine of the Trinity is a
revealed rather than a natural
doctrine, for we could never
discover it for ourselves. It comes
from the divine self-disclosure in
Scripture, and even there is revealed
more in deeds rather than formed
into words. But most Bible students
will agree that it is difficult, if not
impossible, to read the New
Testament with an open spiiit
without believing in the Trinity. At
the same time, we should be sure we
hold truth for the right reasons. It is
questionable, for instance, that we
should try to support belief in the
Trinity from the Hebrew word most
commonly used for
God—Elohim.
Though the word is plural in form, it
is seldom seen by scholars as
requiring a three-in-one concept of
God. We may also try to penetrate
the mystery by means of biblical
illustrations (see John 3:8), but let us
not mistake the illustration fOr the
divine reality. Few teachings are so
productive of error as those that deal
with the Godhead. Here we should
tread delicately, with reverent care.
(See The
Ministry of Healing,
pp.
427-429.)
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1. Creator and Inspirer
(Gen. 1:2)
2. Spirit and Son
(Matt. 1:18)
3. Spirit and Ourselves
(John
3:3)
4. Ourselves and the Spirit
(1 Cor. 3:16)
5. Spirit and Church
(Acts 1:8)
6. Holy Trinity
(2 Cor. 13:14)
Holy Spirit and Holy Trinity
LESSON 4
Sunday
July 19
Part 1
CREATOR AND
INSPIRER
THINK IT THROUGH
Who worked with Father and Son in the creation of heaven
and earth?
"The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was
upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon
the face of the waters" (Gen. 1:2).
We usually speak of the Creator, using the singular form, but
the plural more accurately reflects biblical teaching. The Father
and Son worked so closely in Creation that John could write of
Jesus: "Without him was not any thing made that was made"
(John 1:3). (Compare with Gen. 1:1.) In addition, our text reveals
participation by "the Spirit of God." Thus, from the beginning, a
Third Member of the Godhead has been involved in our world's
history.
Through which divine agency has prophecy been given?
2 Peter 1:21.
This scripture also takes us back to the beginning, for the
book of Genesis contains not only history but prophecy. During
the thousand years in which the Old Testament was being writ-
ten, the Holy Spirit was at work, communicating God's thoughts
to its writers and guiding men in God's ways. Such work could
be done only by an Eternal One, a member of the Godhead.
What other evidence does the Bible provide for the deity of
the Holy Spirit?
Answer:
Omnipotence:
Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 12:11.
Omnipres-
ence:
Ps. 139:7-11.
Omniscience:
1 Cor. 2:10, 11.
Eternity:
Heb.
9:14.
His divine personality is also deduced from the service He
performs (see John 14:26)—He has the name of Comforter,
Paraclete, or Advocate; He is sent by the Son and the Father; He
teaches believers; He recalls to the disciples all that Jesus said.
He witnesses to Christ (John 15:26); is another of the same kind
as Christ (John 14:26); He guides into all truth and forewarns of
future events (John 16:13).
In the Old Testament, God the Father is often called "the Holy
One of Israel," but after the Holy Spirit is more fully revealed in
the New Testament, the description "holy" is reserved almost
entirely for Him.
In my devotional life, am I according the Holy Spirit His full
measure of divine personality, or is He still only a vague
"influence"?
FURTHER STUDY
S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, pp. 670-672.
34
Holy Spirit and Holy Trinity
LESSON 4
Monday
July 20
Pad 2
SPIRIT
AND SON
THINK IT THROUGH
How vital a role did the Holy Spirit play in the incarnation?
"The birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his
mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came
together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost" (Matt.
1:18).
Matthew, under the Spirit's guidance, shows great care in
recording the background to his Master's birth. He identifies
Mary as Christ's mother but refrains from calling Joseph His
father. The chosen pair were not yet married, yet Mary found
herself pregnant and knew that this arose from the Holy Spirit's
visitation (Luke 1:35). Joseph accepted the same explanation
and, braving public opinion, took Mary to wife and served as
human father to the Son of God (Matt 1:20-25). Here, then, is a
total divine involvement with humanity for the salvation of man-
kind. The Father sends His angel to the virgin Mary (Luke 1:26,
27), the Holy Ghost comes upon. Mary (verse 35), and Jesus
takes on human form (Luke 2:4-7). The Spirit might therefore be
called the central figure, linking heaven and earth in the drama
of our Saviour's birth.
What role did the Spirit continue to play in our Lord's earthly
life? Luke 2:25-29.
A careful reading of Luke's Gospel reveals that the author was
very sensitive to the Spirit's role in Christ's life and ministry. In
addition to His directing Simeon's recognition of the infant
Saviour, there was that of the prophetess Anna (Luke 2:36-38).
The Child's unusual growth (verses 40, 52;
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 68-74) was only possible by His unusual submission to the
Spirit's guidance. This spiritual cooperation led Jesus to the
Jordan for baptism and the Spirit's visible descent upon Him
(Luke 3:21, 22), and to His "being full of the Holy Ghost" (Luke
4:1). Immediately the Spirit led Him into the wilderness (verse 1;
compare Mark 1:12), and afterward gave Him power for His
Galilean ministry (Luke 4:14).
If the Spirit could so empower Jesus of Nazareth in His
amazing ministry, can not the same Spirit also give me daily
strength to live the Christian life?
"The Spirit furnishes the strength that sustains striving,
wrestling souls in every emergency, amidst the hatred of the
world, and the realization of their own failures and mistakes. In
sorrow and affliction, when the outlook seems dark and the
future perplexing, and we feel helpless and alone,—these are
the times when, in answer to the prayer of faith, the Holy Spirit
brings comfort to the heart."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 51.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 50-58.
35
Holy Spirit and Holy Trinity
LESSON 4
Tuesday
July 21
Part 3
SPIRIT AND
OURSELVES
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
By what means may we arrive at that point in spiritual de-
velopment from which the Child Jesus started?
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God" (John 3:3).
In every true believer's heart there is the desire, a holy ambi-
tion to become like Christ. How can that dream be fulfilled? The
answer is simple and utterly uncompromising: We must be born
again. That transformation can come only by the ministry of the
Holy Spirit. "The fountain of the heart must be purified before
the streams can become pure. He who is trying to reach heaven
by his own works in keeping the law is attempting an impossibil-
ity. There is no safety for one who has merely a legal religion, a
form of godliness. The Christian's life is not a modification or
improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is
a death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change
can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy
Spirit."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 172.
How, then, can we "enter into the kingdom of God"? Jesus
says: "Of water and of the Spirit" (John 3:5)—and Paul states:
"By the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit"
(Titus 3:5). On the road to the kingdom, there is no way of
bypassing the Spirit!
When once we have been born again, how may we develop
Christian stature? John 16:7-14.
The Lord here speaks of the Spirit's service both to His disci-
ples and to the unbelieving world. We need to accept His
message—to welcome the Comforter, to be convicted of sin and
concerned about righteousness and judgment, to be guided
into all truth, to listen to what the Spirit says about Jesus and
future events, and to accept His revelation of Christ's glory.
"It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the
Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature.
Christ has given us His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all
hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His
own character upon His church."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 671.
Are we growing as Jesus grew—"in wisdom and stature,
and in favour with God and man"? If not, why not? Are we
allowing the Holy Spirit to develop our full spiritual potential?
Take the hymn "Our Blessed Redeemer"
(The Church Hym-
nal,
no. 214) and thoughtfully apply each stanza to our present
spiritual condition, making the last stanza our own prayer.
36
Holy Spirit and
Holy Trinity
LESSON 4
Wednesday
July 22
Part 4
What signal honor has the Godhead placed within the reach
OURSELVES of each believer?
AND THE
SPIRIT
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth In you?" (1 Cor. 3:16).
You are the temple of God. This is a metaphor to convey a
profound spiritual truth, namely, that God, being spirit (John
4:24), will dwell in the hearts of His contrite and humble follow-
ers (Isa. 57:15). The Son will do the same (John 14:23; Rev. 3:20).
But, so far as our finite minds can comprehend, this is done in
the Person of the Holy Spirit, who would seem to have the
particular task of representing the Godhead to the conscious-
ness of the believer. Paul can therefore say: "Your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you" (1 Cor. 6:19). What
higher honor can come to a sinful, not-yet-perfect human be-
ing?
What provision can make my heart ready for its heavenly
Guest and worthy of being His temple? Gal. 5:22, 23.
There are some rare personalities who bring peace and order
into the homes they enter. The Spirit does more. He prepares
the heart to be His own shrine and residence. The gifts He brings
with Him will sweep out the sin and make each welcoming heart
so clean that it will begin to be an acceptable temple for His
most holy Self. We should therefore say to Him as to the Lord
Jesus:
"Come, not to find, but make this troubled heart
A dwelling worthy of Thee as Thou art."
—H. G. C. Moule,
The Church Hymnal,
no. 336.
"The faculties devoted unreservedly to God, under the guid-
ance of the divine Spirit, develop steadily and harmoniously.
Devotion and piety establish so close a relation between Jesus
and His disciples that the Christian becomes like Him. Through
the power of God, his weak, vacillating character becomes
changed to one of strength and steadfastness. He becomes a
person of sound principle, clear perception, and reliable, well-
balanced judgment. Having a connection with God, the source
of light and understanding, his views, unbiased by his own
preconceived opinions, become broader, his discernment more
penetrative and farseeing. The knowledge of God, the under-
standing of His revealed will, as far as human minds can grasp it,
will, when received into the character, make efficient men."—
Counsels to Teachers,
pp. 37, 38.
THINK IT THROUGH
How may I encourage the growth of the fruit of the Spirit in
my life?
FURTHER STUDY
Gospel Workers,
pp. 284-289.
37
Holy Spirit and Holy Trinity
LESSON 4
Thursday
July 23
Part 5
SPIRIT AND
CHURCH
Let the imagination dwell on the manner in which Christ's
disciples received power to witness for Him.
"Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
From a human point of view the Redeemer took a terrible risk
when He returned to heaven after three and one half years of
earthly ministry. How could His cause prosper when left in the
hands of 11 all-too-human men? The assuring answer lay in two
potent realities. First, He had personally trained those
disciples—and that fact must never be ignored. Second, He was
leaving an adequate legacy in the promised presence of His
Spirit. "Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days
hence" (Acts 1:5). (See also Luke 24:49.) And now, immediately
prior to His ascension, He states the fact: "Ye shall receive
power." History confirms that the power came at Pentecost
(Acts 2:4, 16-21). This explains how such a group could set the
church in motion throughout the then-known world. The exis-
tence of the Christian church became one of the greatest evi-
dences of the Holy Spirit's reality.
After the apostles had received power from on high, who
else shared in the heavenly gift? Acts 4:31; 5:32; 6:3.
If the Spirit had been restricted to the original apostles, His
ministry would have ceased with their deaths. But such was not
the divine plan. "The church throughout Judea, Galilee and
Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and
encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the
fear of the Lord" (Acts 9:31, NIV).
THINK IT THROUGH
How may the church today accomplish its worldwide mis-
sion?
Answer: By fulfilling similar conditions to those that brought
power to the early church, namely, prayerful, unselfish unity
(Acts 1:14; 2:1, 41-47; 4:31-35).
"The promise of the Holy Spirit is not limited to any age or to
any race. Christ declared that the divine influence of His Spirit
was to be with His followers unto the end. From the Day of
Pentecost to the present time, the Comforter has been sent to all
who have yielded themselves fully to the Lord and to His service.
... The more closely believers have walked with God, the more
clearly and powerfully have they testified of their Redeemer's
love and of His saving grace."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 49.
FURTHER STUDY
The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 49-56.
38
Holy Spirit and Holy Trinity
LESSON 4
Friday
July 24
Part 6
In the beautiful benediction penned to the Corinthian
HOLY church, which central Christian doctrine did Paul reveal?
TRINITY
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen"
(2 Cor. 13:14).
This is not a doctrinal but a devotional statement, yet it reveals
one of the most fundamental of all Christian doctrines. It gives,
with inspired brevity, a firm basis for belief in the threefold
nature of the Godhead, the Trinity. (Compare Christ's own re-
ference to the divine Three in Matthew 28:19.) It does not at-
tempt to explain it. Rather, it is a distillation of thoughtful,
reverent Christian contemplation of what has been disclosed
concerning Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, especially in the light
of the Son's incarnation. As has been so rightly stated: "The
doctrine of the Trinity is not so much heard as overheard in the
statements of
Scripture."—International Standard Bible Encyc-
lopedia
(Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1930), p. 3012.
Or, to express it another way: "What becomes patent in the
New Testament is latent in the Old."
Man's inability to explain the nature of the Trinity should
surprise no one—it should rather be expected. The object of
man's worship, while clear enough to command love and loy-
alty, should soar far beyond human understanding. Here, if
anywhere, the statement attributed to St. Anselm applies: "I do
not seek to understand in order to believe, but I believe in order
to understand."
In humble awareness of our inability to fathom the nature of
the God whom we worship, we should be very careful in our
thinking to safeguard the equality and unity of each living Per-
son of the Trinity with the other Two. To use the definition of
fourth-century Greek theologians, we should confess that "the
Godhead of the Father, of the Son, of the Holy Ghost, is all one:
the Glory Equal, the Majesty eternal."—J. S. Whale,
Christian
Doctrine
(Fontana Books, 1941), p. 111.
The difficulties we meet in thinking of the Trinity should not
lead us to reject the doctrine or refuse to meditate upon it. "If it
were possible for us to attain to a full understanding of God and
His word, there would be for us no further discovery of truth, no
greater knowledge, no further development. God would cease
to be supreme, and man would cease to advance."—Education,
p. 172.
THINK IT THROUGH
"What doth it avail thee to discourse profoundly of the Trin-
ity, if thou be void of humility and art thereby displeasing the
Trinity?"—Thomas a Kempis, The
Imitation
of
Christ
(Hacken-
sack, N.J.: Wehman Brothers), bk. 1, ch. 1:2.
FURTHER STUDY
Education,
pp. 169-172.
39
LESSON 5 July 26 to August 1
ereator and Sustainer
"Thou, even thou, art Lord alone;
thou hast made heaven, the heaven of
heavens, with all their host, the earth,
and all things that are therein, the seas,
and all that is therein, and thou
preservest them all; and the host of
heaven worshippeth thee" (Neh. 9:6).
Most human beings ask questions
of themselves and others concerning
origins—origin of self, of others, of
animals, of vegetation, of stars, of
our universe and beyond. Out of the
many suggested answers, there
emerge two principal replies—we,
and the world around us, originated
either by accident or by design.
Moral considerations lead us to opt
for design, and that choice leads us
to God.
Once we accept that God is, the
thought of creation seems to follow.
Creation would seem to be a natural
activity of Deity; it may even be said
to be inevitable. We may also find
room in our understanding for God's
continuing creativity. In all such
thoughts, however, let us remember
our human limitations in the light of
God's infinite nature. (See Isa. 55:
8, 9.)
The doctrine of creation is basic to
the whole structure of our religion,
and proclaims: "In the beginning,
God."
This lesson, then, is biblically
based. Details of true science are left
to the scientists and to other
quarterlies.
By the very nature of the
operation, no earth-bound observer
could
see
creation in action. No
matter how near to the time of
Creation he might approach, it
would all be over before he himself
was made. There are two possible
keys to the question of origin—(1)
deduction
from what man sees
around him in the physical world and
(2)
faith
based on his religious
experience with a self-revealing God
whom he has come to know as his
Lord and Saviour. The first has all the
limitations of human knowledge and
reasoning. Faith, however, can
always take him one step farther back
than the keenest and most believable
of his physical deductions and show
him, by special revelation, the
Creator at work before the first man
was formed.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Faith and Creation
(Heb. 11:3)
2.
The Creation Process
(Isa. 45:18)
3.
The Creation of Man—I
(Gen. 1:26)
4.
The. Creation of Man—II
(Isa. 43:6, 7)
5.
The Sustainer
(Col. 1:17)
6.
The Re-creator
(Isa. 65:17)
Creator and Sustainer
LESSON 5
Sunday
July 26
Part 1
FAITH AND
CREATION
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
42
The limitations of reason in perceiving the way in which our
universe was created are indicated by Scripture.
"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not
made of things which do appear" (Heb. 11:3).
The writer of Hebrews is not suggesting that we, in our
present state, can
understand
the process of creation, but
rather that faith enables our minds to perceive (a more accurate
translation) how our universe owes its origins to God. Under-
standing will come only in the hereafter. Until then, faith ena-
bles us to accept the mind-staggering concept that our physical
universe came into existence and continues to be knit together
by a word or saying of God. (See Ps. 33:6, 9.) This faith, estab-
lished in our own Christian experience, is based on meditation
and observation subjected to revelation. It recognizes that a
Mind or Power—God—must have designed all creation. The
word rendered as "worlds" is literally translated as "ages," but
mention of "things which are seen" in contrast to "things which
do appear" clearly refers to visible creation rather than to vague
periods of time.
Adventists understand the Bible to teach that "God was not
indebted to preexisting matter. By His mighty power God called
matter into being, and then by that same power imparted life to
creatures formed from it. Prior to the dawn of the so-called
Atomic Age, it was one of the prime tenets of science that matter
is eternal, that it can neither be created nor destroyed. But now
scientists declare that matter and energy are interchangeable.
Why, then, should it be thought strange that an almighty God
can create matter that did not previously exist?"—S.D.A.
Bible
Commentary, vol.
7, p. 472.
With what particular language does Jeremiah summarize
the creative acts that formed our universe? Jer. 10:12.
In concise language the prophet spells out the initial creative
process: The living God (Jer. 10:10) made the earth by His
power, set up the habitable globe by His wisdom, and stretched
or unfolded the heavens by His skillfulness. Verses 12 through
16 appear again in chapter 51:15-19. They express a frequent
theme in the writings of the prophets—God's creative acts set
Him apart from all false gods. The New Testament makes an
even greater claim in Colossians 1:16, 17. These concepts can-
not fit into an evolutionary pattern!
Is my faith strong enough to accept all that might be in-
cluded in God's creatorship? If not, how can I strengthen it?
Testimonies,
vol. 8, pp. 255-262.
Creator and Sustainer
LESSON 5
Monday
July 27
Part 2
On which acts that only God could perform is the lordship of
THE
God based?
CREATION
PROCESS
"Thus says the Lord, the creator of the heavens, he who is
God, who made the earth and fashioned it and himself fixed it
fast, who created it no empty void, but made it for a place to
dwell in: I am the Lord, there is no other" (Isa. 45:18, NEB).
If
any other than God were the creator of heaven and earth,
that being would be the lord of mankind, and to him would man
direct his worship. But the God revealed in the Bible is the only
One who can claim such an office. There is none other who can
lay claim to His creatorship. "The duty to worship God is based
upon the fact that He is the Creator and that to Him all other
beings owe their existence. And wherever, in the Bible, His
claim to reverence and worship, above the gods of the heathen,
is presented, there is cited the evidence of His creative
power."—The
Great Controversy,
pp. 436, 437.
Where does Scripture leave room, if at all, for an evolution-
ary theory of origins? Gen. 1:1, 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 29; Ex.
20:11.
The Bible offers no hospitality to evolutionary theories. It is
unashamedly creationist. Creationism is woven into the very
warp and woof of the Book. It offers only one explanation for the
origin of our earth and all that lives and grows upon it—God's
creative acts. Nevertheless, we must be careful not to harm the
Bible's reputation for truthfulness by making claims for it that
are not really in it. Sometimes it is suggested that the use of the
Hebrew verb
bara'
(to create) in Genesis 1:1 supports the teach-
ing that "in the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth" out of nothing. It has to be remembered, however, that
the same verb
bara'
is also used in Genesis 1:27: "God created
man in his own image ... ; male and female created he them."
We know from Genesis 2:7 that the Lord God used existing
material when He "formed man of the dust of the ground," and
from Genesis 2:22 we learn that Eve was then formed from the
already-existing Adam. We have not been called to proclaim as
biblical what may go beyond what the Bible teaches about this.
On the other hand, we do well to remember that any material the
Creator might have used in completing His work in Creation
week was itself created by Him.
If we insist that God
needed
six days for Creation, we would
be making Him the prisoner of time, somewhat as we are. It
would be more correct to think of His
choosing
to use six days to
give His creatures their placement in time, to provide the pattern
of the seven-day week for governing their relation to time, and
to give them the weekly blessing of the Sabbath.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 111-116.
43
4-k L. 3-81
Creator and Sustainer
LESSON 5
Tuesday
July 28
Part 3
What lessons do you gather from the nature of God's
THE
climactic work on the sixth day of Creation?
CREATION
OF MAN—I
"God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over
the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth,
and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth"
(Gen. 1:26).
The scene was set (verses 1-25), but from our viewpoint, it
lacked an important element—those morally responsible be-
ings for whose primary benefit all the beauty had been pro-
duced by the Creator's word. The Creation story seems to
suggest this. Earlier creative acts had followed a simple "And
God said" (for example, verses 3, 6, 9), but prior to the creation
of man there is a suggestion of taking counsel within the
Godhead, as indicated by the phrase "Let us make" (verse 26).
In verse 27 the making of man and woman is recorded, and they
are then asked to care for the earth (verse 28). In this fuller
treatment, the crowning act of Creation is recognized. "In the
creation of man was manifest the agency of a personal God.
When God had made man in His image, the human form was
perfect in all its arrangements, but it was without life. Then a
personal, self-existing God breathed into that form the breath of
life, and man became a living, intelligent being."—The
Ministry
of Healing,
p. 415.
As we consider the miracle of how human beings are made,
how should it make us feel? Ps. 100:3, 4.
Every one of us carries around in his or her body a marvelous
laboratory in which to study the most wonderful of all our
Maker's creative works. We are free to conduct that study at any
hour of the day. The simple act of breathing, the spontaneous
movement of the eye, of hand, of foot—these are miracles be-
yond our understanding. They should lead us to glorify our
Creator. (See Ps. 139:14.)
"The mechanism of the human body cannot be fully under-
stood; it presents mysteries that baffle the most intelligent. It is
not as the result of a mechanism, which, once set in motion,
continues its work, that the pulse beats and breath follows
breath. In God we live and move and have our being. The
beating heart, the throbbing pulse, every nerve and muscle in
the living organism, is kept in order and activity by the power of
an ever-present God."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 417.
What do my family, my friends, my fellow citizens see of the
image of God in me?
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 44-51.
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
44
Creator and Sustainer
LESSON 5
Wednesday
July 29
Part 4
What reason does the Lord Himself give for having created
THE
human beings?
CREATION
OF MAN—II
"Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of
the earth; even every one that is called by my name: for I have
created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made
him" (Isa. 43:6, 7).
Those who are called by God's name, that is, those who are
members of His worldwide family, have been created to add to
His glory. At first thought, this might sound as though God were
pleasing Himself, as if He were a praise-hungry tycoon who has
made a world full of puppets to bring Him unending flattery.
Fortunately, our God is utterly unlike that. In one sense, He does
not
need
our praise. Unnumbered multitudes of sinless beings
are constantly worshiping Him out of grateful hearts, and our
tokens of praise can add but little to what He is already receiv-
ing.
Yet, our text clearly states that the Lord created (bare', again)
His sons and daughters for His glory. A little thought enables us
to accept that without question, for we see the divine purpose
shining above the sin that overshadows the human race. The
original plan would have filled our world with a perfect people
whose sinless lives would have added to the Creator's glory.
When sin shattered that prospect, unselfish love proved itself
strong enough to redeem the fallen, to re:create them in the
divine image, and to convince the watching universe that their
Sovereign does all things well.
Note how Paul enlarges on this overview of the outworking
of the plan of salvation. Eph. 1:5, 6. (See also verses 12, 14.)
Here the apostle refers to the glory that comes to God as
redeemed men and women are adopted into His family by virtue
of Christ's life, death, and resurrection. "As a result of the
revelation of God's grace in the adoption, the universe will gain
a true conception of the character and purposes of God and
respond with expressions of praise. One of the purposes of the
plan of salvation is the vindication of the character of God
before the universe (see PP 68; cf. DA 625, 626; Eph. 3:10,
11)."—S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 999.
The Jerusalem Bible has a very attractive translation of Ephe-
sians 2:10: "We are God's work of art, created in Christ Jesus to
live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live
it."
THINK IT THROUGH
In what areas is my daily life bringing glory to my Re-
deemer?
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Beatitudes"
(Matt. 5:13, 14), pp. 35-44.
45
Creator and Sustainer
LESSON 5
Thursd
ay
July 30
Part 5
In contrast to scientific theories, how does the Bible ac-
THE
count for the way all things keep on working in the natural
SUSTAINER world?
"He is before all things, and by him all things consist" (Col.
1:17).
In verse 16 Paul has affirmed Christ's creatorship—all things
were created by Him or through Him—and now in verse 17 he
looks both before and after Creation. The Son, he declares,
existed before all things. Many commentators see in the phrase
"he is" a reference to the Eternal's self-explanation, the "I AM"
of Exodus 3:14 (see John 8:58), and to His creatorship. The
forward look depends on the word translated "consist" which
can also be rendered "cohere" or "hold together." (See also
Heb. 1:3, NEB: He "sustains the universe by His word of
power.") Nature is not a machine that keeps itself running and
tuned. "God is constantly employed in upholding and using as
His servants the things that He has made. He works through the
laws of nature, using them as His instruments. They are not
self-acting. Nature in her work testifies of the intelligent
presence and active agency of a Being who moves in all things
according to His will."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 416.
How does Paul apply the same truth to the upholding of
mankind? Acts 17:25, 28.
THINK IT THROUGH
Man loves to do things his way. He likes to believe that he is
self-contained and self-sustaining, that he needs no external
power to keep him going. Yet, of himself, he has not solved the
mystery of his beginning or of his end. In spite of all that he has
done to prolong his life—and life expectancy for men in the
United States has risen from 47 years in 1905 to 69.3 years in
1977—he has not discovered how to live forever. Lack of breath
still spells death. Paul's thought, therefore, rings true: God
giveth to all men life, and breath, and all things needful for life
(Acts 17:25). It is still in God alone that we live, have power to
move, and continue to exist (verse 28). "It is not because the
mechanism that has once been set in motion continues to act by
its own inherent energy that the pulse beats and breath follows
breath; but every breath, every pulsation of the heart, is an
evidence of the all-pervading care of Him in whom 'we live, and
move, and have our being.'
"—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 115.
Remind yourself of modern man's dependence on electric-
ity, and the chaos that comes when such power fails. Apply
such thoughts to man's careless but real dependence upon
God.
FURTHER STUDY
Ellen G. White Comments,
S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
vol. 6,
pp. 1067, 1068.
46
Creator and Sustainer
LESSON 5
Friday
July 31
Part 6
In the light of the damage done by sin to His creation, what
THE
decision has the Creator reached?
RE-CREATOR
"Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the
former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind" (Isa.
65:17).
Do our minds hesitate before the prospect of a new creation?
They should not. Our religion is founded on miracles—
Creation, the virgin birth, the resurrection, the ascension, the
new birth. All are supernatural occurrences, above the control
and comprehension of man. The new creation, the making of
new heavens and a new earth, presents no difficulty to our
omnipotent God. The only problem lies with ourselves—shall
we permit Him to remake us?
Only the Father and His two Eternal Companions know the
measure of sorrow caused by the Fall. Only They can know the
joy with which They anticipate the restoration of all things by
re-creation. What unselfish pleasure will be Theirs as They
"make all things new" (Rev. 21:5). What satisfaction in knowing
that no sin will ever mar the perfection of the new creation!
What corresponding change must take place in us if we are
to enjoy the new heavens and new earth? 2 Cor. 5:17.
It would be a disaster if unregenerate men and women were
settled in the new earth. Their sin would soon ruin the sinless
beauty of the new creation. Those who are to inherit the new
Eden must be in harmony with their surroundings, and this
demands that they be sinless too. This requires that they be
born again (John 3:3, 5, 7), that they be new creatures. It re-
quires that they be remade
by
Christ, living their new lives
in
Christ, and thus being fitted for sinless living throughout eter-
nity. It is not difficult to agree to this—for others. The harder part
is to accept it for ourselves. Hard though it may be, however,
that is the goal of Sabbath School lesson study!
"The pure communion with holy beings, the harmonious so-
cial life with the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all
ages who have washed their robes and made them white in the
blood of the Lamb, the sacred ties that bind together 'the whole
family in heaven and earth' (Ephesians 3:15)—these help to
constitute the happiness of the redeemed."—The
Great Con-
troversy,
p. 677.
THINK IT THROUGH
What relation is there between Creation and re-creation? Is
my belief in both equally strong? Am I ready to face a new
heaven and a new earth?
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 674-678.
47
LESSON 6 August 2-8
6 Tie Law' of Lor
"This is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those
days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws
into their mind, and write them in their
hearts: and I will be to them a God, and
they shall be to me a people" (Heb.
8:10).
This memory verse needs hiding in
each Christian's heart. It shows that a
believer's salvation and obedience
come not from a keeping of
commandments to earn salvation,
but as a result of God's saving grace
and power working in the mind of
God's child. It is God who makes the
covenant; He puts His laws in the
mind, and He writes them upon the
heart. The Lord offers Himself as our
God and accepts us as His people.
If God wants to write His laws in
our minds, what can be wrong in
cheerfully observing those laws?
Nothing! Yet, mention of law,
especially the Ten Commandment
law, arouses much opposition in
many minds, for they equate law
keeping with salvation by works.
They agree that it is wrong to
blaspheme, to kill, to commit
adultery, to steal, and would hesitate
to accuse those who do not commit
these sins of being legalists. Yet,
when observance of the fourth
commandment is advocated, big
theological guns are turned against
the Decalogue and those who
recommend its precepts.
These considerations call for a
fresh look at the law of the Lord. We
need to perceive its kind
purpose—to guide us into life, not to
condemn us to death. At the same
time, its condemnation of our sins
leads us to repentance. We need to
grasp its scope—it covers every part
of our lives. We need to see its
spiritual nature, its concern with the
inner thoughts that produce outward
acts.
For our part, we should see
obedience as love's response to
divine concern.
"If
ye love me," you
will "keep my commandments." As
Meister Eckhart, the
fourteenth-century mystic, is
reputed to have observed: "Love
God, and do as you please, say the
Free Spirits. Yes, but as long as you
like anything contrary to God's will,
you do not love Him."
Our reference to law should not be
restricted to God's Ten Words. Both
the Old and the New Testament are
filled with counsel, even coamands,
that are not directly related to the
Decalogue. This helps us to view the
law as an expression of God's loving
will for us and not as a series of
prohibitions that always run counter
to our inborn inclinations.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
The Creator and Law
(Ps. 45:6)
2.
Man and God's Law
(Ps. 19:7, 8)
3.
Primacy of God
(Ex. 20:3)
4.
Reverence for God
(Ex. 20:4, 5)
5.
Remember the Sabbath
(Ex. 20:8)
6.
Sabbath Observance
(Isa. 58:13, 14)
The Law of the
Lord-I
LESSON 6
Sunday
August 2
Part 1
What is the significance of the words of the psalmist as he
THE
describes the nature of God's kingdom?
CREATOR
AND LAW
"Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy
kingdom is a right sceptre" (Ps. 45:6).
The fact that God is eternal has great meaning for the Chris-
tian. It gives God an everlasting kingdom and establishes the
eternal rightness of its laws. Its host of heavenly inhabitants
freely observe their Creator's commands, delighting to do His
all-wise will and willingly giving Him their service. This past
eternity provides a firm foundation for the creation of our world
and its inhabitants. If it had made the right choice, mankind
could have inherited the timeless experience of the heavenly
host and have joined other obedient worlds in serving their
Maker. Alas, the human race chose and still chooses to reject
that option, preferring to pit its preferences against the wisdom
of eternal ages.
THINK IT THROUGH
What qualities are seen in the Lord's words and in His
commands? Ps. 111:7, 8.
The Jerusalem Bible's rendering of these verses is refreshing:
"All that he does is done in faithfulness and justice, in all his
ways his precepts are dependable, ordained to last for ever and
ever, framed in faithfulness and integrity." What a God! How
foolish to turn Him away! How reasonable to heed His com-
mands!
"When the heart yields to the influence of the Spirit of God,
the conscience will be quickened, and the sinner will discern
something of the depth and sacredness of God's holy law, the
foundation of His government in heaven and on earth. The
tight, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,'
illumines the secret chambers of the soul, and the hidden things
of darkness are made manifest.... Conviction takes hold upon
the mind and heart. The sinner has a sense of the righteousness
of Jehovah and feels the terror of appearing, in his own guilt and
uncleanness, before the Searcher of hearts. He sees the love of
God, the beauty of holiness, the joy of purity; he longs to be
cleansed and to be restored to communion with Heaven."—
Steps to Christ,
p. 24.
Note how the psalmist stresses the everlasting nature of
God's righteousness and the reliability of His law. Ps. 119:142.
What weight in our thinking do we give to the age-long
experience of
the
Godhead and the angels in knowing what is
best for human beings?
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 33, 34, 52.
50
The Law of the Lord-I
LESSON 6
Monday
August 3
Part 2
What flawless qualities characterize the law of the Lord, and
MAN AND what will the law accomplish for those who follow its guid-
GOD'S LAW ance?
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the
testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The
statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the com-
mandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes" (Ps.
19:7, 8).
In this passage, four different Hebrew words are used to
speak of the guidance given by the Lord to His children. The
first,
torah,
has the basic meaning of "direction," developing
into "teaching," "instruction," "doctrine." In the Old Testa-
ment it is translated "law" 216 times. It does not specifically
refer to the Decalogue; rather, it is a term signifying all the
revealed will of God or any part of it. The second word,
'eduth,
is
generally translated "testimony"; but it also has the sense of
"witness." The third,
piqqudim,
is only here translated "sta-
tutes." Throughout Psalm 119 it is uniformly rendered "pre-
cepts." The fourth,
miswah,
is the usual word for "command-
ment" and is so used 173 times in the Old Testament, mostly in
the plural form.
These four words, then, embrace the Lord's total instruction
to His children in Old Testament times. They include the Ten
Commandments but are not restricted to them. God's various
forms of instruction to His people are here said to be "perfect,"
"sure," "right" and "pure." In turn, they convert or revive the
soul, educate the simple believer, bring joy to the heart, and give
moral clear-sightedness. They have intensely spiritual func-
tions, helping their observers to live according to God's direc-
tives.
What is the larger spiritual setting or experience, of which
commandment keeping is a basic part? Deut. 10:12.
The Lord never intended that commandment keeping should
produce legalism or the error of salvation by works. He has
always urged that obedience to His precepts be the outcome of
godly fear or reverence and wholehearted love. (See Deut. 6:4,
5, 25; 11:1; Matt. 22:35-40.) Any other motivation is misleading,
unacceptable to God and useless to man.
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
What breadth and depth do we see in "the law of the Lord"?
Do we grasp that it can only be fulfilled by a love-based
obedience that goes deeper than a surface observance of its
teachings?
Read all of Psalm 119. This can be done in about 25 minutes.
Note its broad portrayal of God's law, testimonies, statutes,
commandments, and precepts. How do our attitudes compare?
51
The Law of the Lord—I
LESSON 6
Tuesday
August 4
Part 3
PRIMACY
OF GOD
THINK IT THROUGH
Which is the first commandment?
"Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Ex. 20:3).
This commandment was given against the background of
worldwide idolatry at the time of the Exodus—but it has always
been first in the heavenly statute book, and there has never been
a time when it was not valid. On the surface it may seem to do no
more than make the Lord first among all the other gods whose
worship flourished in the Middle East. But Israel came to know
that when the Lord is given first place in worship, the falsity, the
worthlessness of all other deities is revealed. This revelation
made Israel monotheistic—worshipers of one God—and the
nation recognized that "the Lord our God is one Lord" (Deut.
6:4).
God's insistence on His being above all is in no way self-
centered. Since the Lord is God, He can have no one above Him.
(See Isa. 44:6; Ps. 97:9.) He is first by nature and would be
denying that nature if He stepped aside for any competitor
whatsoever—and there is a rabble of competitors, though not
one can hold a candle to our God!
"Jehovah, the eternal, self-existent, uncreated One, Himself
the Source and Sustainer of all, is alone entitled to supreme
reverence and worship. Man is forbidden to give to any other
object the first place in his affections or his service. Whatever
we cherish that tends to lessen our love for God or to interfere
with the service due Him, of that do we make a god."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 305.
Note how the One who knows God best quoted an enlarge-
ment on the first commandment. Luke 4:8.
In rejecting Satan's invitation to worship him, Jesus uses a
free rendering of Deuteronomy 6:13 based on the Greek ver-
sion. This expands the principle at the heart of the first com-
mandment and introduces the subjects of worship and service.
These flow naturally from the thought of God's uniqueness, His
supremacy—these qualities exalt Him above all other so-called
gods and make Him alone worthy of the highest adoration man
can offer.
Consider the four faculties (listed in Luke 10:27) through
which we may express our love for God. Recall the formal
giving of the Decalogue—on release from Egyptian slavery
(Ex. 20:2)—and know that even then gratitude was to be the
main motivation behind commandment keeping. That
gratitude, which leads to love, provides the foundation on
which true worship is built.
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, "The
Spirituality of the
Law," pp. 73-78.
52
The Law of the Lord-I
LESSON 6
Wednesday
August 5
Part 4
REVERENCE
FOR GOD
What is at the heart of the second commandment?
"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.... Thou
shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them" (Ex. 20:
,
4, 5).
After weary centuries of Egyptian slavery, Israel was well
versed in idolatry. Now its people were on their way to the
Promised Land, where heathen peoples were engaging in cruel
and licentious worship of deities that did not exist anyway. They
needed to keep themselves separate from all such idolatry. To
aid their detachment, there came this command, which also
prohibited their making even an image of the true God!
In prosperous lands, the most appealing idol is probably
Mammon, worshiped under many different forms, but always
placing material prosperity above self-forgetful dedication to
God. We may thus bow down to cars, TV and stereo sets,
houses, family demands, creature comforts—the list is endless.
In less favored lands, the daily struggle for existence may claim
first attention. Each Sabbath School member must search his
own life and say what we so often sing:
"The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from Thy throne,
And worship only Thee."
—William Cowper,
The Church Hymnal,
no. 383.
In what way may we show our reverence for the Lord our
God? Ex. 20:7.
This third commandment is expressed negatively, but its ob-
servance is best promoted by such a profound reverence for the
name and character of our Maker that we shall naturally honor
Him and have no urge to refer carelessly to Him or to blaspheme
His holy name.
"This commandment not only prohibits false oaths and
common swearing, but it forbids us to use the name of God in a
light or careless manner, without regard to its awful signifi-
cance. By the thoughtless mention of God in common conver-
sation, by appeals to Him in trivial matters, and by the frequent
and thoughtless repetition of His name, we dishonor Him."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 306, 307.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is there anything in my life that has priority over the Lord my
God? What honor or what shame does my life bring on the
Lord's name?
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Spirituality of the
Law" (Matt. 5:34), pp. 66-69.
53
The Law of the Lord—I
LESSON 6
Thursday
August 6
Part 5
What concluding guidance does the first table of the Deca-
REMEMBER logue give to maintain man's relationship to his God?
THE SABBATH
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Ex. 20:8).
Remember.
It is not possible to remember that which one has
never known. Adam and Eve remembered their first Sabbath.
(See
Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 48.) It was their first complete
24-hour day, the first Sabbath ever observed, and memories of
its hallowed significance were shared with their descendants.
The fourth commandment reveals that the Israelites knew of the
Sabbath before they reached Sinai (see Ex. 16:22-30), but it
must have been exceedingly difficult to remember it in Egypt.
Keep it holy.
The same Hebrew verb,
quadesh,
is used at the
close of the commandment for the Lord's own act in hallowing
the Sabbath, even as it is in Genesis 2:3 where the English
translation speaks of
sanctifying.
Mankind, then, is given the
same privilege as God Himself exercised at the close of Crea-
tion.
The commandment places Sabbath observance on the same
level with the first three precepts, as part of man's acknowl-
edgement of God's lordship. The command has never been
revoked.
In what way is man to emulate his Creator in Sabbath ob-
servance? Ex. 20:9-11.
Six days shalt thou labour.
Without adding an eleventh com-
mandment, there is a sense in which this places a moral obliga-
tion upon all God-fearers to work diligently during the week,
even as did the Lord during the six days of Creation. "God saw
that a Sabbath was essential for man, even in Paradise. He
needed to lay aside his own interests and pursuits for one day of
the seven, that he might more fully contemplate the works of
God and meditate upon His power and goodness. He needed a
Sabbath to remind him more vividly of God and to awaken
gratitude because all that he enjoyed and possessed came from
the beneficent hand of the
Creator."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 48.
In it thou shalt not do any work.
This prohibits performance of
secular work on Sabbath—Saturday, the seventh day—and
should alert us to guard the holy hours so that secular occupa-
tions and interests do not break into the Sabbath. We are also
morally obligated to avoid causing others to work unnecessarily
on the sacred day. (See Deut. 5:14.)
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
54
Am I faithful in observing the spirit as well as the letter
concerning Sabbath observance? In what areas do I need to
raise my standards?
Testimonies,
vol. 2, pp. 582-585.
The Law of the
Lord—I
LESSON 6
Friday
August 7
Part
6
"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy
SABBATH pleasure on my holy day; ... then shalt thou delight thyself in
OBSERVANCE the Lord" (Isa. 58:13, 14).
These verses reveal that standards of Sabbath keeping had
fallen to very low levels in Isaiah's day (see ch. 56:2), and the
prophet was calling for reform. We can rightly apply his mes-
sage to our own Seventh-day Adventist situation and make a
similar two-edged approach—negative and positive—to grap-
ple with the problem. We must turn away from Sabbath desecra-
tion, must refrain from doing our own pleasure on God's holy
day, not "clutching at business" (Variorum), "not speaking idle
words" (NIV). On the contrary, we should "call the sabbath
'Delightful' " (Jerusalem Bible), "a day of joy," "a day to be
honoured"—"then you shall find your joy in the Lord" (verse 14,
NEB). Do not these phrases arouse in us a longing for the deeply
spiritual delights that should be ours every Sabbath?
"When the Sabbath commences, we should place a'guard
upon ourselves, upon our acts and our words, lest we rob God
by appropriating to our own use that time which is strictly the
Lord's. We should not do ourselves, nor suffer our children to
do, any manner of our own work for a livelihood, or anything
which could have been done on the six working days. Friday is
the day of preparation. Time can then be devoted to making the
necessary preparation for the Sabbath and to thinking and
conversing about it. Nothing which will in the sight of Heaven be
regarded as a violation of the holy Sabbath should be left unsaid
or undone, to be said or done upon the Sabbath. God requires
not only that we refrain from physical labor upon the Sabbath,
but that the mind be disciplined to dwell upon sacred
themes."—Testimonies,
vol. 2, pp. 702, 703.
Define Christ's attitude toward the Sabbath. Luke 4:16;
Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-5.
He who had given the seventh-day Sabbath to mankind wel-
comed the weekly day of rest and of worship. The Sabbath
found Him in the synagogue, joining His neighbors in prayer,
praise, and Scripture study. In addition, He widened contempo-
rary ideas on rightful Sabbath observance, leading His disciples
to see that "it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days." If the
Master were physically present with us today, He would un-
doubtedly give the same example and teach the same lessons.
THINK IT THROUGH
To what degree are we following our Lord's example in the
right use of each Sabbath day?
FURTHER STUDY
Education,
pp. 250-252;
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 281-289.
55
LESSON 7 August 9-15
7 Tile kw
(RI
olle
Lord-1111
"If ye love me, keep my
commandments" (john 14:15).
"If ye keep my commandments, ye
shall abide in my love; even as I have
kept my Father's commandments, and
abide in his love" (John 15:10).
Here is the Master's three-part
program for us: (1) Love Me, keep
My commandments; (2) If we do this,
we shall abide in His love; (3) We
shall follow His example. Loving
obedience binds Father, Son, and
Christians closely together.
What a different complexion that
puts on the much-maligned doctrine
of obedience! It leaves no room for
slavery, no trace of legalism, no hint
of salvation by works. It is salvation
by love—by the mutual love of Father
and Son, and Theirs for us, and ours
for Them. It is the fruit of faith that
works by love. Here is the beautiful
secret of commandment keeping.
Who can quarrel with it? Who can
withhold obedience on such a basis?
This week's study of the six
remaining commandments,
numbers five to ten, will give the
opportunity to gauge the reality of
our love for Christ. Its measure will
be seen in the honor we give our
parents, in our respect for human
life, in loving faithfulness to marriage
vows, in respect for our neighbor s
property, in our love for truth and
rejection of falsehood, in our refusal
to covet another's possessions. And
love will lead us beyond the formal
observance of the Ten
Commandments: it will make us
sensitive and responsive to all our
Lord's biddings. We shall "echo His
own words: "1 delight to do thy will,
0 my God" (Ps. 40:8). This will apply
to His daily counsel and requests as
well as to the broad principles
enshrined in the Ten Words. We
shall want to know and to do His total
will. When we reach that stage, we
shall be truly emulating our Master.
Let us try this week to make each
day's study very practical, applying
each day's precept to our own lives.
Unless we do this, the Decalogue will
remain what it has so often been—a
list of limiting rules that hive little if
any impact on us and our neighbors.
Let us look at each command and see
it as heavenly guidance to save us
from sin and to bring us into
complete harmony with the will of
our all-wise heavenly Father.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Honor to Parents
(Ex. 20:12)
2.
Respect for Life
(Ex. 20:13)
3.
Sacredness of Marriage
(Ex. 20:14)
4.
Total Honesty
(Ex. 20:15)
5.
Truth Tellers
(Ex. 20:16)
6.
True Contentment
(Ex. 20:17)
The Law of the
Lord-II
LESSON 7
Sunday
August 9
Part 1
"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be
HONOR TO long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Ex.
PARENTS 20:12).
This and the fourth commandment are the only two that are
stated positively; the others are cast in a negative mold. The fifth
heads the second table of law, and is the only commandment
that specifically promises a blessing through its fulfillment,
though the second implies its observers will receive mercy (Ex.
20:6).
The injunction in this fifth precept is addressed to children
regardless of age. "It is binding upon childhood and youth,
upon the middle-aged and the aged. There is no period in life
when children are excused from honoring their parents. This
solemn obligation is binding upon every son and daughter, and
is one of the conditions to their prolonging their lives upon the
land which the Lord will give the faithful."—Testimonies, vol. 2,
p. 80.
To honor one's parents involves more than formal respect. It
includes expressing appreciation for all that our parents have
done for us through earlier years, for warm love shown in prac-
tical care. It calls for showing concern for their welfare and
gratitude for the ideals they have upheld.
In Deuteronomy 5:16 Moses enlarged on the promise, adding:
"That it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy
God giveth thee." The primary reference was to life in Palestine,
but the assurance can also apply to life in our own day and in the
world to come.
What was Paul's emphasis regarding the claims of the fifth
commandment? Eph. 6:1-3.
The apostle followed the divine lead in Exodus 20:12 and
addressed the children concerning attitudes to parents. He did
not neglect the parents' responsibilities (see Eph. 6:4), but first
stressed the children's duty both to obey and to honor their
father and mother. He did so in awareness that filial respect
would weaken as time flowed on. He recognized the rebellious
tendencies in his own day (Rom. 1:30), but he foresaw a worsen-
ing family situation "in the last days" (2 Tim. 3:1, 2). The com-
mandment therefore has particular relevance for our time.
The initial responsibility for children's attitudes rests with
their parents. To them has been given the duty and privilege of
raising their sons and daughters "in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4), that is, with Christian discipline and
instruction.
THINK IT THROUGH
In today's social system, what application do we make of
the call to honor our fathers and mothers?
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies, vol.
1, pp. 397-401.
58
The Law of the
Lord-II
LESSON 7
Monday
August 10
Part 2
Note how the Lawgiver affirms His concern for the sacred-
RESPECT ness of human life.
FOR LIFE
"Thou shalt not kill" (Ex. 20:13).
There are at least eleven distinct words in the Hebrew Bible
that deal with different aspects of the English verb "to kill." The
word used in Exodus 20:13 is
rasah,
which has the basic mean-
ing "to break or to dash in pieces," hence "to kill." Apart from
its use in the commandment (Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17), it is used in
this sense only twice. But in 12 other places it conveys the
thought of "to murder," that is, "to commit manslaughter," and
would be better so rendered in this instance. The translations of
Moffatt, the NEB, and the NIV use the word "murder."
Murder is a shocking sin because its results can never be
called back. No human power can restore the life that is
ruthlessly ended. He who murders usurps a power that belongs
to God alone or to the community that administers justice on His
behalf.
What deeper appreciation of the sixth commandment does
Jesus make in His exposition of the law? Matt. 5:21-26. (See
also 1 John 3:14, 15.)
It is entirely appropriate that He who gave Israel its laws from
Mount Sinai should explain the deeper meaning embedded in
the four words, "Thou shalt not kill." In so doing, Jesus shows
His concern over the inner urges that produce the act of murder
and that reveal the sinfulness of hatred and anger. Assassina-
tion of a brother's character may call for judgment as much as
the sudden taking of his life. As always, the Lord probes beneath
the surface and lays bare the thoughts and intents of the heart,
and in this case He offers love as the correction for anger and
murder. He revokes the old rule of "an eye for an eye, and a
tooth for a tooth," and He bids us replace hatred for an enemy
with an all-forgiving love (Matt. 5:38, 39, 43-48).
"All acts of injustice that tend to shorten life; the spirit of
hatred and revenge, or the indulgence of any passion that leads
to injurious acts toward others, or causes us even to wish them
harm (for 'whoso hateth his brother is a murderer'); a selfish
neglect of caring for the needy or suffering; all self-indulgence
or unnecessary deprivation or excessive labor that tends to
injure health—all these are, to a greater or less degree, viola-
tions of the sixth command
ment."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p.
308.
THINK IT THROUGH
Am I seeking to replace hatred, or even dislike, with love?
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The True Motive in
Service" (Matt. 6:7-22), pp. 86-92.
59
The Law of the
Lord-ll
LESSON 7
Tuesday
August 11
Part 3
Meditate on the seventh commandment.
SACREDNESS
OF MARRIAGE
"Thou shalt not commit adultery" (Ex. 20:14).
This command arises from God's ideal set forth in Eden. He
intended one man and one woman, moved by mutual love, to
marry, to beget children, and establish an ideal home which
would be copied by following generations. Marriage was de-
signed to satisfy the legitimate, God-implanted desires of both
men and women. The commandment was given from the be-
ginning to safeguard the sacredness of marriage, a sanctity that
is destroyed by adultery—which is defined as the voluntary
sexual intercourse of two persons, one or both of whom are
married, though not to each other. (Sexual activity outside mar-
riage was not thereby countenanced.) Disregard of this com-
mand has ruined countless marriages, brought sorrow into
innumerable lives, bewildered innocent children, and weak-
ened the spiritual life and influence of the church.
What light does Jesus throw on the broader meaning of this
forbidding of adultery? Matt. 5:27-32.
The Master's teaching was directed first to men because in
Jewish life only the man had power to initiate divorce; therefore
he bore the principal responsibility in marriage. In the current
trends toward equality of the sexes, however, the Saviour's
instruction is of concern to both sexes. Today both marriage
partners carry the responsibility of preventing adultery by a
love-filled giving of self in satisfying each other's need for love.
Christ's interpretation of the seventh commandment is not
limited to husbands and wives. He sets standards of sexual
conduct for all, married and unmarried, young and old. Resis-
tance to the first sign of temptation, a turning from enticement,
refusal to be drawn into sin—these can prevent the fall into any
form of adultery.
In the sixth beatitude, our Lord reveals the key to sexual
purity: "Blessed are the pure in heart" (Matt. 5:8). They are
spared the griefs created by responding to unlawful desire.
They, like the lily, can be pure in a muddy world. Unspotted, they
can walk in white with Christ, their sinless Saviour. But such a
state is not easily attained. "Those who would not fall a prey to
Satan's devices, must guard well the avenues of the soul; they
must avoid reading, seeing, or hearing that which will suggest
impure thoughts.... The heart must
be
faithfully sentineled, or
evils without will awaken evils within, and the soul will wander in
darkness."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 518.
THINK IT THROUGH
What can we do to help ourselves and our church maintain
New Testament standards of purity?
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies, vol.
7, pp. 45-50.
60
The Law of the
Lord-II
LESSON 7
Wednesday
August 12
Part 4
With what words did the Lord set before His people ideals of
TOTAL honesty and respect for others' property?
HONESTY
"Thou shalt not steal" (Ex. 20:15).
This is a necessary clause in the legal code of every human
society. The need arises from the universal tendency to break
the tenth commandment, "Thou shalt not covet," and the resul-
tant breaking of the eighth which forbids stealing. And here, as
in the question of adultery, the secret of victory lies in rejecting
the first urge to sin. Refusal to desire another's property will
prevent the taking of that property; while a harboring of desire,
if unchecked, may lead to the act of stealing.
Each society produces its own inducements to dishonesty.
The temptations in Israel during the Exodus must have been
starkly simple, for a wandering people's possessions were
necessarily few. But in Egypt, where lavish wealth was paraded
before deep poverty, and in the more settled conditions that
awaited the twelve tribes in Canaan, enticements to sin were
and would be multiplied and intensified. We can apply the
lesson to the situation that confronts ourselves.
What was Paul's plan for upholding the eighth command-
ment? Phil. 4:11. (Compare 1 Tim. 6:6-11.)
Those who cultivate a contented spirit spare themselves the
shame of taking another's goods.
There are, however, many other forms of stealing, apart from
the direct theft of money or materials. Consider our attitudes
and actions in relation to payment or evasion of taxes and of
customs duties. How faithful are we in giving to God a complete
tenth of our income and offerings "as God hath prospered us"?
Do we steal from the worthy poor by not assisting them when we
have the means to do so? Do we limit our "charity" to the
narrow circle of church-related needs, or do we show a gener-
ous spirit toward genuine need wherever we meet it? Do we, by
working less than the agreed time, steal from our employer? Do
we steal another's good name? The number and variety of
questions relating to theft are embarrassingly rich!
The cure for any tendency to steal lies in unswerving honesty,
prompted and upheld by God's Spirit. "When a man is indeed
connected with God, and is keeping His law in truth, his life will
reveal the fact; for all his actions will be in harmony with the
teachings of Christ. He will not sell his honor for gain."—
Testimonies,
vol. 4, p. 310.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the honesty record of Seventh-day Adventists—
including myself—in my neighborhood?
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 4, pp. 489-491.
61
The Law of the Lord-II
LESSON 7
Thursday
August 13
Part 5
Consider God's plan for teaching truthfulness to His people.
TRUTH
TELLERS
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour"
(Ex. 20:16).
Although this ninth commandment was not formally given to
Israel until Sinai, its principle, as with the other nine, had been in
force since Creation. Its instruction will continue to be needed
as long as there are faulty human beings like ourselves.
False witness is a specific form of dishonesty. It states a lie as
if it were truth in order to injure another, and is often done for
personal gain. It may rob the victim of his goods, of his good
name, or even of his life. It is therefore a form of stealing and
illustrates the close connection of one commandment with
another. Its central message bids us "Tell the truth, and nothing
but the truth in respect of others—or keep quiet."
"This commandment is not only applicable to the lawcourts.
It does include perjury, but it also includes all forms of scandal
and slander, all idle talk and tittle-tattle, all lies and deliberate
exaggerations or distortions of the truth. We can bear false
witness by listening to unkind rumours as well as by passing
them on, by telling jokes at somebody else's expense by creat-
ing false impressions, by not correcting untrue statements, and
by our silence as well as by our speech."—J. R. W. Stott,
Basic
Christianity
(London: Inter-Varsity Fellowship, 1958), p. 69.
It will be seen that fulfillment of this command cannot be a
mechanical process. The secret of keeping it lies in the state of
one's mind, whether one has become prone to leave the path of
uprightness or whether one has cultivated the mind of Christ in
whom there is no kind of falsehood.
Where must truth reside for it to govern our lives? Ps. 15:1,
2; 51:6.
THINK IT THROUGH
Truth is a resident quality that should dwell in every Chris-
tian's heart. When that is so, he will be incapable of bearing
false witness or of telling a lie, for he will instinctively tell the
truth. He is then
the
kind of person whom God wants to dwell in
His holy hill, in Paradise.
The presence of truth in the heart will draw us to Him who is
truth, prepare us to be like Him who is the True Witness (Rev.
3:14), and enable us to be eternally at ease in His presence.
Does truth dwell in our hearts, or is it only an occasional
visitor?
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Lord's Prayer"
(Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2), pp. 102-106.
62
The Law of the
Lord-II
LESSON 7
Friday
August 14
Pail 6
What negative discipline will encourage a contented frame
TRUE of mind?
CONTENTMENT
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not
covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maid-
servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy
neighbour's" (Ex. 20:17).
This commandment might well have appeared as number
eight to introduce the command against stealing, for the two
belong together. He who covets takes the first step on the road
to theft. A refusal to covet, a firm rejection of the desire to
possess what another has, will turn us aside from reaching out
to take a brother's or sister's property—of any kind. In some
countries the principle of the command may be made more
clear by changing "ox" and "ass" to "car" or "plane" or "bicy-
cle," but the spiritual intent remains the same. We may admire
what others have, but when we grow envious and allow the acid
of covetousness to eat into our souls, then we are injuring
ourselves and preparing the way for injury to our neighbor.
The question of covetousness is a deeply spiritual matter,
beyond the reach of human law. It transcends legal formalities
and digs into "the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12).
Are we more interested in acquiring possessions, in keeping up
with "the Joneses," in appearing affluent before our neighbors,
than in possessing true godliness?
With what words does Paul introduce the basic cure for
covetousness? 1 Tim. 6:6.
This quality does not come naturally to most people, but if
there is the core of godliness in our hearts, we shall, by the aid of
our Lord Jesus Christ, be able to cultivate the grace of content-
ment.
The positive form of this commandment is "Enjoy your own
possessions." Let us be thankful for what the Lord has already
given us. This attitude will spare us much heartache and make
us better neighbors.
"Those who use their wealth in doing good will see no neces-
sity for large accumulations in this world; for the treasure which
is used to advance the cause of God and which is given to the
needy in Christ's name is given to Christ, and He lays it up for us
in the bank of heaven in bags which wax not old."—
Testimonies,
vol. 3, p. 546.
THINK IT THROUGH
Where are most of our energies centered—on gaining
material possessions, or on developing a Christlike nature?
What do our homes proclaim?
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 3, pp. 381-385.
63
LESSON 8 August 16-22
8 New Lftve.s for eild
"As many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his
name" (John 1:12).
During the past two weeks we have
considered the law of the
Lord—finding it to include the Ten
Commandments but not being
restricted to them—and seeing it as
an expression of God's loving will for
mankind. But human frailty grasps at
mechanical means of salvation by
works. It must learn that "no man is
justified by the law in the sight of
God" and that "the just shall live by
faith."
This week we remind ourselves of
long-held but often-forgotten truths.
From David and Paul we gain realistic
views of sinful human nature—plus
how to turn to God's way of
overcoming it. From our Lord
Himself welearn of the need of a new
birth for entry into the kingdom of
God. Paul shows how we, through
baptism by immersion, identify with
Christ in His death, burial, and
resurrection and thus signify the
death of our old selves and the
spiritual resurrection to new lives as
Christians, released from past sins
and prepared fora sinless eternity. In
Christ, and by His self-sacrifice, we
become new creatures, living lives
that are acceptable to God "by faith
of the Son of God, who loved" us
"and gave himself for" us.
And so to our memory verse—to
receive Him and the power that
enables (or the right that permits) us
to become the sons of God through
trust in His name. John and Paul both
recognize the one and only,means of
salvation—personal faith in Christ as
the Saviour of the world. In this, the
two apostles are but supporting what
Jesus Himself said: "Whosoever
believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life."
It might be well to remember that,
for the baby, it is relatively easy to be
born. The serious business of life
begins thereafter. Similarly, the new
birth does not solve all of life's
problems. It is still true that "we must
through much tribulation ,enter into
the kingdom of God" (Ads 14:22).
But "the trials of life are God's
workmen, to remove the impurities
and roughness from our character"
(Thoughts From the Mount of
Blessing,
p. 10), helping us to grow
up into Christ.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Sinners All
(Ps. 14:2, 3)
2.
Justified Sinners
(Rom. 3:24)
3.
Born of the Spirit
(John 3:3-7)
4.
Dead and Resurrected
(Rom. 6:3, 4)
5.
From Death to Glory
(Eph. 2:1-3)
6.
Made New in Christ
(2 Cor.
5:17)
New Lives for Old
LESSON 8
Sunday
August 16
Part 1
SINNERS ALL
THINK IT THROUGH
Think upon the Lord's assessment of the human race as
recorded by David.
"The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of
men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek
God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become
filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Ps. 14:2, 3).
This is not looking for the worst, it is looking for reality. Even
in Eden sin had reared its ugly head, and thereafter tainted all
who were born of Adam and Eve. Within 10 generations men
and women had sunk so low that the Creator sent the Flood, and
through Noah and his family gave humanity a new start. (See
Gen. 6:5-8; 8:20 to 9:1.) But mankind showed itself unwilling to
be changed and clung to its sin. In David's day the psalmist
could state on the Lord's behalf: "There is none that doeth
good, no, not one." The compilers of the book of Psalms were
sufficiently impressed by the theme to include an almost identi-
cal psalm (53); while Paul (Rom. 3:10-18) uses selections from
the book of Psalms (most from the Greek translation of the Old
Testament) to establish the depravity of man and his lost estate:
"There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10).
With what conclusive declaration does Paul convey the
Bible's verdict on man's sinfulness? Rom. 3:23.
In the Greek original of the phrase "all have sinned," Paul
conveys the idea that this sinning was done once and for all in
the past, specifically in Adam's sin. This should be compared
with Romans 5:12, where the apostle teaches that Adam's
transgression affected all of his descendants. "By their trans-
gression, sin was introduced as an infectious power in human
nature antagonistic to God, and this infection has continued
ever since. It is because of this infection of nature, traceable to
Adam's sin, that men must be born again."—S.D.A.
Bible Com-
mentary,
vol. 6, p. 531. This is not an arbitrary act on God's part,
for the second part of Romans 3:23 says—by the use of the
present tense—"continue to fall short" or "keep on falling
short" of the glory of God. No individual since Adam has com-
pletely disassociated himself or herself from Adam's fall by
living free from sin. By their own sins all have shared in Adam's
original guilt. There has only been One who lived on earth
without sin; all others have fallen short of God's character and
are therefore in need of redemption.
Is my realization of my sinfulness as vivid now as when I first
felt my need of a Saviour? Is a deepening repentance a sign of
progress toward holiness?
66
New Lives for Old
LESSON 8
Monday
August 17
Part 2
After recognition of universal sinfulness, what great step
JUSTIFIED toward salvation does Paul next take for his readers?
SINNERS
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24).
When confronted by his sinfulness, the sincere man's instinct
is to reform and demonstrate that he is better than others sup-
pose him to be. He attempts to conform to God's standard, the
law, but discovers that he cannot live according to its precepts.
He then learns that "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh
be justified in his [God's] sight" (verse 20), and is prepared for
the almost incredible plan outlined in today's scripture. In His
unfathomable mercy, God makes provision for a sinner to be
treated as a righteous person. All sins can be pardoned and a
new start in Christian living begun.
Being justified.
The present tense is used, indicating that we
can be justified, or declared righteous, at any time that we
choose to cast ourselves on God's mercy and claim His assur-
ance of forgiveness.
Freely.
The Greek word means "as a gift" or "without pay-
ment," and is correctly rendered "freely" or "gratis." It is hard
for human minds to grasp that no payment is demanded, it
seems too good to be true—yet true it is!
By His grace.
This expresses in another form, from a different
angle, the same thought given by the word "freely." The phrase
identifies the divine quality that makes our justification possi-
ble, namely, "grace." The usual definition, "unmerited favor," is
not adequate in this context. "Grace" here refers to one of our
Creator's intrinsic qualities. It arises out of His inexhaustible
love for His creatures, leading Him to do all that is necessary to
save them from the results of their own folly. Its operation plays
a central role in salvation. (See Eph. 2:8.)
Through the redemption.
God'sgrace is the motivating power
in His plan for our salvation;
redemption
is the method He
employs to effect our deliverance from sin's bondage. The En-
glish word "redemption" and its Greek equivalent are both
connected with the thought of "buying back" or "ransom,"
hence, "deliverance."
In Christ Jesus.
The Father chose to channel redemption
through the Son. (See 1 John 5:11, 12.) It is in the total ministry
of Jesus that our ransom from sin is effected at the cost of His
own life. (See Rom. 3:25; 5:8.) This follows God's consistent
practice of working through Christ in all things that pertain to
our world and its inhabitants.
THINK IT THROUGH
We know the theory of redemption. Are we experiencing its
liberating power in our daily lives?
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 63-70.
67
New Lives for Old
LESSON 8
El Tuesday
August 18
Part 3
What simple but essential truth regarding salvation did
BORN OF Jesus teach in His talk with Nicodemus? How does it affect us
THE SPIRIT today?
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God.. . . Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born
again" (John 3:3-7).
Our studying this lesson and our presence in Sabbath School
suggest that we do wish to enter the kingdom of heaven. To-
day's message, then, must be heeded by us. Unless we have
been or shall be born again, we cannot even
see
the kingdom,
much less
enter
that holy realm.
Let us earnestly ask ourselves, "Have we been born again, or
have we just whitewashed our old lives, making them look
respectable while they remain unchanged within?" This is a
question we need to ask and answer. Jesus said to Nicodemus:
"It is not theoretical knowledge you need so much as spiritual
regeneration. You need not to have your curiosity satisfied, but
to have a new heart. You must receive new life from above
before you can appreciate heavenly things. Until this change
takes place, making all things new, it will result in no saving
good for you to discuss with Me My authority or My
mission."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 171.
What additional explanation did Jesus offer concerning our
new birth? John 3:5, 6.
The Saviour here offers two enlightenments. The first asserts
the need for burial of the old life in the waters of baptism,
followed by a resurrection that initiates the new life. The second
affirms the need to be born of the Holy Spirit, to have a life that is
conceived, sustained, and directed by that Spirit.
"The Christian's life is not a modification or improvement of
the old, but a transformation of nature. There is a death to self
and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought
about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit. . . .
"When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it
transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are
renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger,
envy, and strife.... The blessing comes when by faith the soul
surrenders itself to God. Then that power which no human eye
can see creates a new being in the image of God."—The
Desire
of Ages,
pp. 172, 173.
What kind of life am I now living-.-a modified old one or a
transformed new one?
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 167-177.
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
68
New Lives for Old
LESSON 8
Wednesday
August 19
Part 4
DEAD AND
RESURRECTED
Having recognized our need for a new birth, how may we
signify that this has taken place?
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are
buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we
also should walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:3, 4).
In these verses Paul clearly identifies the Christian experi-
ence at baptism with the death and resurrection of the Lord
Jesus. This immeasurably increases the significance of baptism
by immersion, making it not only a cleansing act (see John 3:5;
Eph. 5:26; Titus 3:5), but, more meaningfully still, the death of
the old nature and its burial beneath the baptismal waters. This
enables a resurrection to take place, but not of the old nature,
for it is reckoned dead; it must be a new creature who rises from
the water to "walk in newness of life."
Note the way in which death and resurrection are further
symbolized in baptism. Rom. 6:5-7.
The comparison between the convert's spiritual death and
resurrection in baptism is sharpened here. The death is likened
to crucifixion, with the old self being rendered "powerless"
rather than "destroyed." This is a dramatic comparison that
should emphasize the need for a complete change of life-style
for all believers. The way is then prepared for a resurrection that
marks the beginning of the new life, even as Christ came from
the tomb with His human form glorified.
Most of us will confess that our spiritual troubles arise from
those parts of the old self that constantly seek to rise again.
Hence the need for clearer and clearer glimpses of the cross
that produce ever-deepening repentance, more complete trust
in the merits of Jesus, and more complete submission to His
indwelling Spirit.
"This passage [Rom. 6:6] emphasizes the fact that conversion
and rebirth mean more than a mere change of profession and
habits of life. They involve a radical change in the inner man,
which can be wrought only by the regenerating Spirit of God.
The plan for man's salvation brings not only deliverance from
condemnation through acceptance of the benefits of Christ's
sacrifice, it brings also the birth or creation of a new self free
from the slavery of
sin."—S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p.
538.
THINK IT THROUGH
How faithfully are we now fulfilling our baptismal vows?
FURTHER STUDY
S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, pp. 536-541.
69
New Lives for Old
LESSON 8
Thursday
August 20
Part 5
FROM DEATH
TO GLORY
What black but truthful picture does Paul paint of the past
lives of many believers?
"You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and
sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course
of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in
the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of
the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as
others" (Eph. 2:1-3).
In the original language of the Bible, the picture presented in
these three verses looks blacker still, for the verb translated
"quickened" does not appear until verse 5 and is inserted early
in our version only to clarify Paul's meaning. As we who have
been called out of the world's sin look at ourselves, we are
probably tempted to think the colors are too dark; but as God in
His purity looks upon our past, the picture may appear too light.
We should not forget the depths from which even the best of us
have been lifted!
In what sublime language does Paul depict the Christian's
present prospect of future glory? Eph. 2:4-7.
After his gloomy but accurate portrayal of the past (verses
1-3), the apostle looks up and sees what God has already done
for us in Christ. The revelation is almost beyond belief. It shows
us a God whose wealth is reckoned not in silver, gold, or jewels
but in the inexhaustible mercy which flows to us because of the
magnitude of His love toward us. This love has led Him to
include us among the recipients of the benefits arising from
Christ's resurrection. Even though we were then, according to
God's foreknowledge, still "dead in trespasses" (verse 1), He
guaranteed our being brought to life by virtue of His Son's
victory over death on that resurrection morning. So sure is God
of saving us from our sin and its fatal result that, in His own mind
and in the Person of Christ, He has already raised us up and
seated us at His own right hand. And, as if that assurance is not
breath-taking enough, He reveals His further plans. He has
saved us for an astounding purpose, namely, "that in the ages to
come he might shew" (verse 7) through us the extraordinary,
indescribable, immeasurable wealth of His grace or kindness.
THINK IT THROUGH
0 Father of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, we thank
Thee
now for Thy great kindness, which needs all eternity in
which to express itself toward us!
FURTHER STUDY
S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, pp. 1006, 1007.
70
New Lives for Old
LESSON 8
Friday
August 21
Part 6
There are many, many facets to God's plan for saving us from
MADE NEW
our sins, and we need to keep their principal features in mind in
IN CHRIST
order to form a balanced view of that plan. Overemphasis on
one aspect to the neglect of others gives us a distorted view of
redemption and may lead us astray. In our study this week we
have caught a glimpse of the hopelessness of natural man and
his inability to save himself from his sin. We have seen God enter
human history in the Person of His Son to rescue man and give a
new life through a new birth, which is signalized by baptism.
There is always the danger, however, that we shall be satisfied
with the symbol and miss the reality of experience it is meant to
illustrate. Study and acceptance of today's texts will help to
guard us from these mistakes.
How does Paul contrast the difference in quality of life be-
fore and after conversion?
"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor.
5:17).
Conversion is expressed as the state of being "in Christ,"
which is Paul's concise definition of what it means to be a
Christian. In other places he speaks of "them that are sanctified
in Christ Jesus" (1 Cor. 1:2), "the faithful in Christ Jesus" (Eph.
1:1), "the saints in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:2), and of
being "created in ChristJesus".(Eph. 2:10). Here (2 Cor. 5:17) he
can state: If anyone is
in Christ,
or hidden in Christ, being
completely identified with Him, then he becomes a different
creature.
What contrasting parts are played by life and death in Paul's
conception of the Christian life? Gal. 2:20.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17 the Christian was shown to be "in
Christ." Here Christ is said to be in the Christian: Both concepts
are true, and we need to experience them both in order to enjoy
a fully balanced Christian life. But how can Christ live in us? One
answer is found in Ephesians 3:17, where the apostle prays
"that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith." A free rendering
of this reads: "that Christ may make His home in your hearts by
faith," and that reveals the simple secret of Christian living. Our
Lord must be our Guest, not just for a day or two, but as a
permanent resident in our hearts, serving there as Mentor,
Guide, and Saviour—the Conqueror of our sin.
THINK IT THROUGH
Which room does Jesus occupy in our hearts—the attic, the
basement, or the best room?
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"The Test of Discipleship," pp. 56-65.
71
LESSON 9 August 23-29
9 Trust and obey
"Yea, a man may say, Thou hast
faith, and I have works; shew me thy
faith without thy works, and I will shew
thee my faith by my works" (James
2:18).
The mysteries of our religion,
especially its central truths
concerning salvation, are simple but
deep. They call first for a childlike
trust in God's ability to save from sin
and reveal depths of truth that will
keep us exploring throughout
eternity. We need to retain the
childlike trust while we increase our
understanding of God's love and
mercy that make salvation possible.
A few Sabbath School lessons are not
sufficient for us to plumb the depths
and measure the heights of the love
that is shown toward us in Christ
Jesus, but we can keep on trying to
understand what has been revealed
to us in the Word.
This week we shall try to gain a
fresh glimpse of the central fact of
redemption—that we are saved by
faith and not by any merit of our own,
seeing that in God's eyes we possess
none. Having once again
acknowledged that, we recognize
our need to allow the Holy Spirit to
produce in our lives the evidence
that we have renounced sin and
embraced righteousness. There
must be no contradiction between
our confession of faith in Jesus and
our daily way of life. Our faith and
our works or daily deeds must
harmonize; or our profession is mere
lip service to a beautiful theory that is
unsupported by our conduct. This is
why we must find the secret of
combining faith and good works.
One aspect of our religion should
not be so stressed that it excludes or
minimizes the other. Both must play
their part in the working out of our
salvation.
In an effort to come to grips with
the apparent contradiction that
seems to arise when we stress the
need for faith and works, the daily
lessons will deal with our need to
trust and obey. It is a mistake to
concentrate on one to the exclusion
or belittling of the other. They are
essential parts of one whole., But,
being human and therefore erring,
we tend to emphasize one at the
expense of the other. A fresh look at
biblical teaching should help us
maintain a balance in theory and
practice.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Believe and Live
(John 3:16)
2.
Saved by Grace Through Faith
(Gal. 2:16)
3.
Reconciled and Justified
(2 Cor. 5:18, 19)
4.
Why Christ Came
(Matt. 1:21)
5.
Clean and Active
(1 John 1:9)
6.
A Question of Fruit
(Col. 3:1, 2)
Trust and Obey
LESSON 9
Sunday
August 23
Part 1
What has always been man's part in God's plan for his
BELIEVE salvation?
AND LIVE
THINK IT THROUGH
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
With good reason we usually give highest importance to the
part taken by God the Father in this best-known of all Bible
verses. But the text also pinpoints our part in redemption's plan:
"Whosoever believeth in him [shall] ... have everlasting life." He
who would be saved must
believe,
must have faith in God's
ability and desire to save him from sin and its results. This
insures that only he who
wishes
to be saved will be rescued from
the devil's clutches. None will be given eternal life against his
own will. He must
desire
and choose to live eternally in the
sinless company of Father, Son, Holy Spirit, angels, and mul-
titudes of other redeemed human beings.
Under emergency conditions, how did two apostolic prison-
ers summarize the requirements for salvation? Acts 16:25-32.
Against the background of prison brutality and the alarm of "a
great earthquake," there came the cry, "Sirs, what must I do to
be saved?" In response there came the simple reply, "Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy
house" (verse 31). There was no time for more. No Bible study,
no sermon, no doctrinal instruction, just the absolute essential
for the sinner to be
saved:Believe.
This, of course, was just the
beginning of the new life for the jailer and his family. Growth
undoubtedly followed as they were more fully instructed in the
Christian way. But belief had to continue. There never came a
time when they could dispense with belief in the Lord Jesus.
"To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without soul
hunger and living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ,
which accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never
bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a
mere intellectual assent to the truth. . . . It is not enough to
believe
about
Christ; we must believe
in
Him. The only faith that
will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal
Saviour; which appropriates His merits to ourselves."—The
De-
sire of Ages,
p. 347.
What can we do to maintain the original freshness of our
belief in Christ's power to save us from sin and grant us
eternal life?
FURTHER STUDY
Gospel Workers,
pp. 259-263.
74
Trust and Obey
LESSON 9
Monday
August 24
Part 2
SAVED BY GRACE
THROUGH FAITH
THINK IT THROUGH
Is it a matter of opinion as to how one is reckoned
righteous—by faith or by works?
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,
but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in
Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ,
and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law
shall no flesh be justified" (Gal. 2:16).
Paul teaches that we are justified, or declared righteous, by
faith
in
Jesus Christ (rather than
of)
and not by observance of
law. It is generally agreed that "law" here refers to the moral,
civil, and ceremonial guidance given to Israel at Sinai and that
this includes the Decalogue but is not limited to it. An attempt to
be justified "by works of law" (there are no definite articles here
in the original) is an attempt to obtain salvation by works, which
is doomed to failure. All have sinned, and so none is able to
claim righteousness. We are entirely dependent on the only
known Righteous One who has ever lived—the Man Christ
Jesus. If we are to be declared righteous, it is by faith in His
sinless life and substitutionary death and not through any law-
keeping efforts of our own.
From the exercise of which divine quality does our salvation
spring? Eph. 2:8, 9.
The sinner's natural urge is to
do
something to save himself
from the results of his own sin. The apostle rings the death knell
over all such attempts. There is no act which we can perform to
effect our own deliverance from sin and its penalty. We can only
accept the salvation that God's grace offers as a free gift. And
since there is no
visible
evidence of that gift, it must be accepted
by
faith.
"Some seem to feel that they must be on probation, and must
prove to the Lord that they are reformed, before they can claim
His blessing. But they may claim the blessing of God even now.
They must have His grace, the Spirit of Christ, to help their
infirmities, or they cannot resist evil. Jesus loves to have us
come to Him just as we are, sinful, helpless, dependent. We may
come with all our weakness, our folly, our sinfulness, and fall at
His feet in penitence. It is His glory to encircle us in the arms of
His love and to bind up our wounds, to cleanse us from all
impurity."—Steps
to Christ,
p. 52.
Is my trust completely in God's saving grace? Have I sur-
rendered to it, or am I still struggling to supplement it by my
own good works?
FURTHER STUDY
Gospel
Workers,
pp. 161, 162.
75
Trust and Obey
LESSON 9
Tuesday
August 25
Part 3
How can we, who by nature are at enmity with God, be
RECONCILED transformed into His friends?
AND
JUSTIFIED
"All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconcilia-
tion; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath
committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:18,19).
We cannot reach across the chasm that sin has fixed between
ourselves and God. But our Father's love for His wayward chil-
dren has devised a way whereby we can be reconciled to Him—
counted and treated as righteous because of our Saviour's
righteousness. He presents Himself to us in the winsome life,
death, resurrection, and priestly ministry of His Son. These
loving manifestations are designed to draw us back to God, to
make us His friends instead of His enemies. And God does more.
By the revelation of His own self-humiliation and by the Spirit's
indwelling, He makes us fit to be brought into His holy presence.
By virtue of Christ's sacrificial ministry, He forgives our sins, not
holding them against us, so that we can stand before Him as
though we had never sinned. Indeed, in the Person of Christ, He
makes us as righteous as He Himself is. (See verse 21.) Thus, by
allowing Jesus to reconcile us to the Father, we open the way for
our own justification. And all this operates through faith—our
faith, God-given, directed to the Lamb of God that taketh away
the sin of the world.
Apart from pardon through justification, what additional
blessing does exercise of faith bring to those who believe?
Rom. 5:1.
In Romans, chapter 4, Paul has dealt very thoroughly with
Abraham's exercise of faith which was "counted unto him for
righteousness" (verse 3). (Compare also verses 5, 9, 22.) In
verses 23-25 the apostle declares that we can enjoy similar
justification through faith in God and in all that He has done in
Jesus our Lord. In chapter 5, verse 1, indicating a further stage
in his reasoning by use of the opening word "Therefore," he
concludes that justification also brings us "peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ." Without justification a Chris-
tian could not enjoy peace, for his sinful past would haunt his
every step and preclude all possibility of his being at peace with
His Maker. With justification he is not only assured of pardon,
but of restoration and of the peace of being set right with God.
THINK IT THROUGH
Are reconciliation and justification just printed doctrines, or
are they vibrant experiences that we are continuing to enjoy
since baptism?
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 5, pp. 739-746.
76
Trust and Obey
LESSON 9
Wednesday
August 26
Part 4
Many Christians, having been justified by faith, fail to follow
WHY CHRIST
the divine program further. They act as if justification were the
CAME
end rather than the beginning of the believer's journey and
something to be retained. Some have begun well by exercising
trust;
but, becoming self-dependent again, they fail to render
obedience
(the fruit of faith) and therefore make little progress
on the heavenward pathway. We need both to trust and to obey.
The remainder of this week's lesson emphasizes New Testa-
ment teaching that inseparably links faith to obedience.
What was Heaven's basic objective in the incarnation?
"She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name
JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matt.
1:21).
When the angel reassured Joseph concerning the Child that
his betrothed would bear, the reason for the miracle of the virgin
birth was disclosed in the simplest possible language: "He shall
save his people from their sins." (Compare Titus 2:14.) If, then,
His people are not saved from their sins, the purpose in the
giving of God's Son is not achieved and the greatest sacrifice of
all time has been in vain.
Nevertheless, observation of our neighbor's and our own
daily experience demonstrates that Jesus cannot separate us
from our sins if we choose to cling to them.
From the beginning of the gospel story, God has made it clear
that salvation is a cooperative project. Responding to God's
offers, we must
wish
to be saved from sin; we must accept the
invitation "Come unto me"; we must
choose
to follow Christ.
This is our initial part in the transaction; we simply make it
possible for the Lord to redeem us from iniquity. The desire and
the power to be free from sin come from above, not from within.
"I am carnal, sold under sin [or, into the power of sin].... For I
know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing"
(Rom. 7:14-18). But when the Spirit pleads, we must respond.
We, then, cooperate with the Spirit by yielding to His invitation
and turning to God.
"God has given us the power of choice; it is ours to exercise.
We cannot change our hearts, we cannot control our thougths,
our impulses, our affections. We cannot make ourselves pure,
fit for God's service. But we can
choose
to serve God, we can
give Him our will; then He will work in us to will and to do
according to His good pleasure. Thus our whole nature will be
brought under the control of Christ."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 176.
THINK IT THROUGH
Are we hindering God's gracious plans by preferring our
sins to His promise of deliverance from them?
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 174-176.
77
Trust and Obey
LESSON 9
Thursd
ay
August 27
Part 5
On the strength of Christ's liberating sacrifice, how may we
CLEAN obtain forgiveness and cleansing from our sins?
AND ACTIVE
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John
1:9).
This well-known and well-loved verse may still refresh our
understanding of the science of salvation. Repentant confes-
sion of sin on our part will enable a faithful and righteous Lord
to forgive us our sins. "Sins" refers to violation of God-given
moral law. These will not only be forgiven us, but, if our confes-
sion includes a desire to forsake sin, then our Saviour will also
"cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The word "cleanse" is
used in the Gospels for the healing of lepers (Mark 1:40; Matt.
10:8; Luke 17:14) and here refers to cleansing from the leprosy
of sin. "Un righteousness" translatesadikia (injustice, wrongdo-
ing, as well as unrighteousness), and emphasizes the work
done by Him who is righteous or just
(dikaios)
in not only
forgiving but in completely cleansing us from all
adikia.
How can any Christian entertain the expectation that Christ
will pardon and purify us from wickedness and then sanction
our continuance in sinning? This would be contrary to the
whole genius of our religion. Forgiveness and cleansing are to
result in deliverance from evil in all its forms and not in con-
tinuance in its practice. The redeemed Christian will strive,
therefore, to exhibit the ideal character, that of his Master, who
went about doing good. The convert is not to live a sinless life in
a sealed, antiseptic plastic bubble, insulated from the rest of
humanity. (See Matt. 5:16; Acts 9:36; 1 Tim. 2:10; Titus 3:8;
1 Peter 2:12.)
What further definition of Christ's ambition for His people is
provided in Titus 2:13, 14?
In addition to His principal purpose of redeeming us from all
iniquity and preparing His own pure people, the Saviour plans
that we shall be "zealous of good works." This sanctifies the
association of faith and works and agrees with James's teach-
ing that we show our faith by our works and that faith without
good works is dead. (See James 2:18, 20.)
THINK IT THROUGH
As Jesus looks at my life, does He find satisfaction or disap-
pointment in what He sees? Does He find a dead faith or a
living, productive religion?
FURTHER STUDY
Ellen G. White,
Faith and Works
(Nashville, TN: Southern
Publishing Association, 1979), pp. 59-61.
78
Trust and Obey
LESSON 9
Friday
August 28
Part 6
A QUESTION
OF FRUIT
THINK IT THROUGH
What counsel of Paul's reveals that we must make
our
con-
tribution to spiritual victory in addition to being saved by grace
through faith?
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are
above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your
affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:
1, 2).
Our old self has died; we are reckoned dead, and our life is hid
with Christ in God (verse 3). A spiritual resurrection has taken
place; we are "risen with Christ." We have been baptized; we
are Christians. Yet, says the apostle, we must "seek those things
which are above"; we must set our affections on heavenly and
not on earthly things. This seeking and this setting of our minds
on spiritual matters show that after conversion we still have our
part to play. Salvation by faith does not give us an undisturbed
ride into the kingdom of heaven. We have to continue to "mor-
tify" our "members which are upon the earth" (Col. 3:5); we
have to subdue our carnal desires and reject the sinful traits of
unregenerate natures (verses 8, 9). By a continuing act of our
own wills, encouraged and sustained by the Holy Spirit's influ-
ence and the continuing assurance of our acceptance in Christ,
we must retain the new life in Christ, putting on His attributes
(verses 10, 12-14).
Note how Christ Himself illustrates that true faith will be
shown by our works? Matt. 7:16-20.
The so-called Christian life that does not produce a harvest of
Christian qualities is an empty profession, of no value to its
professor and a stumbling block to his neighbors.
"The good tree will produce good fruit. If the fruit is unpalata-
ble and worthless, the tree is evil. So the fruit borne in the life
testifies as to the condition of the heart and the excellence of
the character. Good works can never purchase salvation, but
they are an evidence of the faith that acts by love and purifies the
soul. And though the eternal reward is not bestowed because of
our merit, yet it will be in proportion to the work that has been
done through the grace of Christ."—The
Desire of Ages,
p.314.
Our study this week can teach us that "there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." Trust or faith is
but an empty vaunt when it produces no obedience. Obedi-
ence that is not the fruit of faith degenerates into legalism. In
salvation, there is trust in Christ's redeeming love that results
in obedience to all His biddings.
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"Not Judging, but
Doing," pp. 149-152.
79
LESSON 10 August 30 to September 5
il0 Lille
9
Deatth
9
&111111
Resurredon
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resur-
rection, and the life: he that believeth
in me, though he were dead, yet shall
he live: and whosoever liveth and be-
lieveth in me shall never die. Believest
thou this?" (John 11:25, 26).
Jesus is talking to Martha, the be-
reaved sister of Lazarus, and assures
her that her brother will rise again.
Martha believes this but thinks in
terms of "the last day." Jesus en-
larges her knowledge and her faith
by revealing more of His own nature
and power than she then knew, by
raising Lazarus from the dead (later
that same day). He is the I AM. He is
the resurrection. Apart from Him
there is no hope of victory over
death, no resurrection. He is the life.
All life comes from Him; without
Him no life is possible.
The truth of these assertions takes
us back to the beginning of human
life in Eden. There, He who is life
shared that life with the first man and
woman and, through them, with all
their descendants. But the ideal situ-
ation is soon upset; and death, the
very negation of life, comes and
reigns in every generation.
Mortal man cannot begin to un-
derstand or feel the anguish that
death causes the Creator. This was
especially keen at the time of the Fall
when our first parents, by choosing
sin, began to die; but because God
does not get accustomed to evil in
any form, great or infinitesimally
small, the anguish continues and will
only cease with the end of sin.
Recognition of the Godhead's sor-
row wilfhelp us understand a little of
the sacrifice that Christ made when
He who personally knew no sin be-
came sin for us that we might be-
come sinless as He is. (See 2 Cor.
5:21). It also explains the motivation
behind His incarnation: "I am come
that they might have life" (John
10:10). Similarly, we can begin to un-
derstand the divine purpose—"that
through death he might destroy him
that had the power of death, that is,
the devil" (Heb. 2:14). In this matter
of life and death, our Lord did not
limit Himself to words. His raising of
the dead provided dramatic evi-
dence of His Godhead. Only one
further question remained: If He
died, would that same resurrecting
power rob the grave of its most
illustrious Victim? The empty tomb
provided the answer.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
The Making of Man
(Gen. 2:7)
2.
Sin's Harvest
(Gen. 3:24)
3.
What About Death?
(Job 14:14, 15)
4.
The Life-giver
(John 5:21-26)
5.
Resurrection
(Several References)
6.
His Own Resurrection
(Matt. 16:21)
Life, Death, and Resurrection
LESSON 10
Sunday
August 30
Part 1
THE MAKING
OF MAN
THINK IT THROUGH
What process did the Creator employ in the making of man?
"The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a
living soul" (Gen. 2:7).
In chapter 1:26, 27 the fact of God's creation of man is stated
but not described. In chapter 2:7 graphic details are given con-
cerning that creation. The Lord takes matter that has already
been created (dust of the ground) and from it formed the man.
This is the first biblical use of the verb "to form" and indicates a
different action from the verbs "to create" and "to make," both
of which figure prominently in Genesis 1. The noun form of
yaqar,
"to form," is variously used for "potter," "artist,"
"creator." The use of
yasar
here suggests the action of molding
the dust of the ground into the form of the first man, Adam,
whose name is related to the Hebrew word for "ground"
('adamah).
At that stage the form was lifeless. Not until God
breathed the breath into the form's nostrils did that form be-
come Adam, a living soul
(nephesh,
used also for "life," "living
creature," "heart," "mind," "person"). From the beginning his
life was dependent on the breath that the Lord gave him.
How is the reversal of the life-giving process described?
Eccl. 12:7.
Man had already been warned about the results of disobedi-
ence: "In the day that thou eatest thereof [the tree of the knowl-
edge of good and evil] thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17). When
Adam and Eve sinned, the decree began to operate—they
began to die. The Lord reminded them that they were taken from
the dust of the ground and would eventually return to it (3:19).
And that dust returns to the earth whence the Creator had first
taken it for the formation of man. At the same time the spirit
(ruach,
used also for "breath" and "wind") returns to the God
who had first breathed it into man's nostrils to make the lifeless
clay form into a living creature
(nephesh,
used also for
"breath"). The act of breathing had made man come alive;
cessation of that action brought death, and that death brought
decay—a return to the dust from which the first man was
molded. There was no immortal soul in man. When his "breath"
or "spirit" was taken from him, all of him was dead until God
would once more breathe into his nostrils the breath of life.
Consider the accuracy of the Genesis picture of the creation
and nature of man. Reflect on the mystery of human life and its
dependence on breath and the act of breathing.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 8, pp. 258-264.
82
Life, Death, and Resurrection
LESSON 10
Monday
August 31
Part 2
SIN'S HARVEST
Upon the entrance of sin, what steps did God take to save
man and woman from eternal misery?
"He drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the
garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned
every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen. 3:24).
By eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, the first human
pair became acquainted with evil and became sinners. If they
had been allowed to eat of the tree of life, they would have
become immortal sinners (verse 22). To spare them from such
misery, God barred the way to the tree of life and allowed sin to
bring about eventual death, while, through Christ, the Father
made it possible for man and woman to enjoy sinless eternal
life.
The episode reveals that humankind were originally depen-
dent upon the tree of life for the privilege of enjoying eternity.
They were not inherently immortal. They possessed only
condi-
tional immortality;
and when by sinning they failed to fulfill the
condition, they lost the intended possibility of living forever and
became subject to death. They could afterward enjoy eternal life
only as a gift from God through Christ. In the meantime the
wages of sin would be death.
After Eden, how does history confirm the basic sentence
upon sin—"thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17)?
Sin soon produced death. After the murder of Abel, there
came the mournful refrain over the line of patriarchs—"and he
died" (Gen. 5:5, 8, etc.). Through the gloom of human mortality
there shine only occasional gleams of eternity. Enoch "was not;
for God took him" (verse 24). Moses, after death and burial, was
resurrected. Elijah was translated. The Shunamite's son was
raised to life, but must later have died at a normal age.
Great spiritual leaders such as Abraham, Joseph, and Samuel
died normal deaths and were buried. In the case of David there
is additional light from Peter's pentecostai sermon; "he is both
dead and buried," and "David is not ascended into the
heavens" (Acts 2:29, 34). The testimony from four thousand
years of history is that "the dead know not any thing" (Eccl. 9:5).
This lack of any inborn claims on immortality comes not from
ignorance, nor from skepticism, but from knowledge—
knowledge of the wages of sin and of the need to wait for the
end of human history, the end of mortality.
THINK IT THROUGH
Try to understand what sorrow the ruin brought by death
must bring to the life-giving Creator.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 57-62.
83
Life, Death, and Resurrection
LESSON 10
Tuesday
September 1
Part 3
What is one of the earliest recorded questions concerning
WHAT ABOUT death?
DEATH?
"If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my ap-
pointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call,
and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of
thine hands" (Job 14:14, 15).
It is hardly surprising that Job, in the midst of his sore trou-
bles, gave much thought to the death that might bring them to
an end (ch. 14:10-13). But his faith in God led him to look beyond
the grave to the possibility of living again. He believed the Lord
would call him from the tomb, unwilling to lose His creation;
and Job will gladly respond to the life-giving call.
According to a psalmist, what was the chosen people's
understanding of man's condition in death? Ps. 146:4.
The writer is thinking of the son of man in whom there is no
help or salvation (verse 3). His breath
(ruach)
goes out, that is,
he expires, and he returns to the dust. Immediately his thoughts
or plans perish. (See Eccl. 9:5, 6, 10.) There is no hint here of a
soul that leaves the body at death and continues its own exis-
tence in a more blessed state. The fact that an individual's
thoughts perish on the day of his death denies any possibility of
conscious life after death prior to a resurrection.
But such an outlook is not comfortless. The writer goes out to
find joy and hope in the God of Jacob, in the Lord his God (Ps.
146:5). The informed Christian will share in a similar optimism.
"The Bible clearly teaches that the dead do not go im-
mediately to heaven. They are represented as sleeping until the
resurrection.... In the very day when the silver cord is loosed
and the golden bowl broken ... , man's thoughts perish. They
that go down to the grave are in silence. They know no more of
anything that is done under the sun. . . . Blessed rest for the
weary righteous! Time, be it long or short, is but a moment to
them. They sleep; they are awakened by the trump of God to a
glorious immortality. . . . The last sensation was the pang of
death; the last thought, that they were falling beneath the power
of the grave. When they arise from the tomb, their first glad
thought will be echoed in the triumphal shout: '0 death, where
is thy sting? 0 grave, where is thy victory?'
"—The Great Con-
troversy,
p. 550.
THINK IT THROUGH
In life are we facing the fact of death? Does our outlook
differ from our neighbors'?
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 544-550.
84
Life, Death, and Resurrection
LESSON 10
Wednesday
September 2
Part 4
What life-giving power did the Son of God share with His
THE
Father during His earthly ministry?
LIFE-GIVER
THINK IT THROUGH
"As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them;
even so the Son quickeneth whom he
For as the Father
hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in
himself" (John 5:21-26).
Well into His public ministry, our Lord performed His first
direct miracle of healing by restoring the man who had been
paralyzed for 38 years. This merciful act brought Christ into
conflict with the Jewish authorities, who accused Him of Sab-
bath breaking and claiming equality with God. (See John 5:18.)
Jesus ignored the accusation of Sabbath desecration, but He
vigorously upheld His own equality with the Father. In so doing
He concentrated on Their possessing the same life-giving
powers. He passed far beyond the healing of the paralytic and
boldly dealt with His ability to raise the dead—"the Son quick-
eneth [makes alive] whom he will' (verse 21). This power, He
explained, had been given Him by the Father. But it was not a
temporarily assumed ability; it was intrinsic; He had "life in
himself" (verse 26): "In him was life" (John 1:4). He developed
this claim still more clearly in John 5:28, 29 and boldly applied it
to the final resurrection. In the raising of Lazarus (John 11)
Jesus went beyond words and demonstrated beyond doubt that
He could bring the dead up from the grave.
Only hours before Calvary, how did the Master describe
Himself to His disciples? John 14:6.
In the upper room the Son of God gives His eleven disciples a
brief but comprehensive definition of His threefold function: He
is the
way
(to God); He is the
truth
(about God); He is the
life
(from God). The revelation that concerns us here is seeing Him
as the manifestation of life, the source and channel of life. There
is no life apart from Him. The Godhead agreed that all life should
flow through the Person of the Son. (See John 5:26; Col. 2:9.)
This function of the Son first touched our world at Creation
when He gave life not only to vegetation, but to all animate
creatures, and supremely to man. From that first week He who is
the Life has been sustaining life upon our world. (See Acts
17:25, 28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3.)
It is pleasant to contemplate Christ exercising His divine
powers In healing and resurrecting others, but do we also see
Him as our way, our truth, and our life? Is He currently, this
very day, giving us power to live His kind of life? Are we using
that power?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 209-213.
85
Life, Death, and Resurrection
LESSON 10
Thursday
September 3
Part 5
In His recorded ministry, what events reveal Jesus as hay-
RESURRECTION ing life in Himself?
Answer:
The Gospels recount three miracles of resurrection.
In order of occurrence they are:
1.
Widow's Son at Nain—Luke 7:11-17.
There was nothing
noticeably premeditated here. Christ met the funeral proces-
sion and learned that a widow had lost her only son, the family
bread winner. Jesus "had compassion on her, and said unto
her, Weep not" (verse 13). He then addressed the young man,
who had been dead long enough to be ready for burial, and said:
"Arise." The authoritative voice penetrates the ears that would
normally be deaf, and the dead one comes to life immediately.
The revived youth sits up and speaks. There is no recall from a
disembodied, conscious state.
2.
Jairus's Daughter—Mark 5:22-24, 35-43.
The 12-year-old
girl was seriously ill. Jesus was delayed in reaching her and was
then informed of her death. The mourning ceremonies had
already begun. But He called to her and said, "Damsel, I say
unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose" (verses 41,
42). Again, there was no doubt about the death, nor of the
resurrection.
3.
Lazarus of Bethany—John 11:1-46.
This is the most deci-
sive of all the Saviour's miracles. It marks the watershed in His
ministry and caused the Sanhedrin to plot His death. Lazarus
was a beloved personal friend of the Master, yet Jesus so de-
layed His response to the sisters' plea for help that Lazarus had
been dead four days by the time Christ reached his tomb. There
was, then, no doubt about his being truly dead. But Jesus gave
the life-giving call: "Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead
came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes" (verses 43,
44).
John's narrative does more than record the raising of a dead
man to life. It centers on Christ and His resurrecting power in
relation to Lazarus and, on a wider scale, to all who die "in the
Lord." Martha voiced her belief in a final resurrection (verse 24);
but in response to Christ's own momentous declaration-1 am
the resurrection, and the life" (verse 25)—she made her own
amazing confession of faith: "I believe that thou art the Christ,
the Son of God, which should come into the world" (verse 27).
She thus focused attention on the central significance of the
miracle—it identifies Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God.
When that is recognized, all resurrections become possible.
THINK IT THROUGH
Do we realize clearly that our hopes for everlasting life rest
upon the reality of the resurrections about which we have
studied in this lesson? The raising of Lazarus is a pledge of
the raising of all believers who die before Christ's return.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 318-320, 342, 343, 524-536.
86
Life, Death, and Resurrection
LESSON 10
Friday
September 4
Part 6
HIS OWN
RESURRECTION
THINK IT THROUGH
In addition to giving life to the dead, how was Jesus still
more personally involved in the question of resurrection?
"From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disci-
ples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many
things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be
killed, and be raised again the third day" (Matt. 16:21).
Hethrough whom all things were made, He who had originally
given life to all things that live, He knew, from an eternity of
experience, that He had "life in himself" (John 5:26). This calm
knowledge enabled Him to speak life to the dead. But would that
power function when He allowed Himself to die? The Gospels
show that Christ knew it would. He not only foresaw His arrest,
trial, crucifixion, and death; He foresaw His own resurrection.
This foreknowledge enabled Him to forecast on at least five
occasions that He would rise again (John 2:19; Matt. 12:40;
16:21; 17:9, 22, 23; 20:17-19).
What faultless witnesses to Christ's resurrection brought
conviction to His closest followers? Luke 24:1-9 with Matt.
28:1-8.
Two angels tell the two Marys (Matt. 28:1) that their crucified
Master is risen. The angelic informants remind the women that
Jesus had forewarned His disciples about His betrayal and had
foretold His own resurrection (Luke 24:5-7). The women re-
membered and in turn reminded the "eleven" and "all the rest"
(verses 8, 9).
It is possible that there were 15 post-resurrection appear-
ances
(S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
vol. 5, pp. 558-560) which
were distributed among different individuals and groups of the
Resurrected One's followers. Those who at first were skeptical
were convinced by seeing the risen Lord with their own eyes
and became potent witnesses to the resurrection. The infant
church was built on the fact of its Founder's conquest of death
and drew its vitality from a knowledge of His being enthroned at
the right hand of God, possessing all power and able to uphold
and direct His people on earth. These were the central themes of
apostolic preaching (Acts 2:22-36; 3:12-15, 26; 4:1-4, 8-12, 33;
5:29-32; 10:34-43; 13:30-37; 17:18, 29-32; 26:22, 23) and help to
explain the rapid spread of the new religion throughout the
Roman world.
What are some of the benefits that come to us because
Christ rose from the dead? Remember one of the most impor-
tant: "God, having raised his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you,
in turning away every one of you from his iniquities" (Acts
3:26).
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 786, 787.
87
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LESSON 11 September 6-12
Sileepers
9
Alva
"My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow me: and I
give unto them eternal life; and they
shall never perish, neither shall any
man pluck them out of my hand" (John
10:27,
28).
One of the most persistent of all
the puzzles that confront mankind is
the enigma of death. It is one of the
certainties of life. It is not surprising,
then, that the morbid topic has
occupied some of the finest minds
and that these have produced many
explanations about death and its
sequel. But of himself man is no
nearer finding an answer to the
question than were his forebears.
Death is a religious, a theological
topic. It not only concerns man; on
an infinitely larger scale it concerns
his Creator. God cannot calmly
contemplate the loss of billions upon
billions of His creatures whom he
designed in His own image. Though
"precious in the sight of the Lord is
the death of his saints" (Ps. 116:15),
in the sense that it is noted and cared
for, it must bring the Father
continuing sorrow, assuaged only by
knowledge of the final solution in
redemption and restoration.
What is the answer that confronts
God and ourselves? As in all the
divine economy, the answer is found
in the Person of the Son. His
gospel—His birth, life, ministry,
death, resurrection, ascension, and
eternal priesthood—provides the
one and only answer to man's need
for solution to the problem of death.
"I am come that they might Have life"
(John 10:10). And the price that Jesus
paid for life—our life—was
death—His death. The lay theologian
C. S. Lewis has called Christ "the
representative 'Die-er' of the
universe."—Miracles (New York:
The Macmillan Company, 1948), p.
157. But without His death there
would be for us no life. With good
reason, then, Ellen White writes:
"Christ crucified for our sins, Christ
risen from the dead, Christ ascended
on high, is the science of salvation
that we are to learn and to
teach."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p.
424. This can be taught and learned in
the context of our memory verse that
strikes such a victorious note and
forecasts the abolition of death.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
The Sleep of Death
(John 11:11)
2.
Rest Before Resurrection
(John
5:28, 29)
3.
Significance of Resurrection
(1 Cor. 15:13, 14)
4.
Certainty of Resurrection
(1 Cor. 15:20)
5.
Alive in Christ
(1 Thess. 4:14)
6.
Life Eternal
(1 John 5:11)
Sleepers, Awake!
LESSON 11
Sunday
September 6
Part 1
As the Source of life, how did Jesus make it clear that He
THE SLEEP would do something about the fatal illness that had stricken
OF DEATH Lazarus?
"These things said he: and after that he saith to them, Our
friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of
sleep" (John 11:11).
Christ's proposal to visit Bethany—less than two miles from
Jerusalem—alarmed the disciples, who feared that Jews from
the capital would stone their Master. The Lord calmed their
fears (verses 7-10) and turned their minds to the condition of
Lazarus. "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may
awake him out of sleep" (verse 11).
Death is often spoken of as a sleep, even by those who believe
in an immortal soul that leaves the body at death. But Christ's
later actions and words leave no room for such belief. Neither
does the disciples' reaction: "Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well
[lit. "shall be saved," that is, "recover"]. AsJohn explains, "they
thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep" (verse 12,
13). To remove all doubt, the Lord says plainly, "Lazarus is dead
; nevertheless let us go unto him" (verses 14, 15). And they
went.
It can only be long-held ideas that try to interpret John's
account of the miracle in terms of survival of an immortal soul
after death. There is no hint of such views in the story. If a soul
had left the body, the Saviour would have spoken differently. As
it was, He clearly called to the whole being and brought his
complete person out of the rocky grave.
In what ways did the burial and resurrection of Lazarus
parallel the similar experience of our Lord?
Five similarities may be noted:
1.
Lazarus had been dead and in the tomb four days. Jesus,
according to Scripture reckoning, spent three days.
2.
As Lazarus slept the unconscious sleep of death, so did his
Master rest quietly in the grave. (See
The Desire of Ages,
p. 769.)
3.
As the Life-giver's voice aroused Lazarus from his sleep, so
"the angel of the Lord" aroused Christ. (See
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 779, 780.)
4.
As the raising of Lazarus was the "crowning miracle" of
Christ's earthly ministry
(The Desire of Ages,
p. 529), so our
Lord's own resurrection was the crowning act in His total re-
demptive deed. (See Rom. 1:4.)
5.
In both cases the dead Lazarus and the dead Son of God
slept in their tombs and knew no life until an animating Voice
bade them rise. Lazarus had clearly been only in the grave, and
Jesus Himself declared after His resurrection, "I am not yet
ascended to my Father" (John 20:17).
90
Sleepers, Awake!
LESSON 11
Monday
September 7
Part 2
REST BEFORE
RESURRECTION
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
Why will both doers of good and doers of evil hear the voice
of the Son of God?
"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all
that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come
forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;
and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damna-
tion" (John 5:28, 29).
The setting of these verses is Christ's discussion with the
Jews following His healing of the paralytic (verses 1-16, 26, 27).
In verse 18 those same Jews challenge the Lord's claims to
divinity, and this leads Him into discussion of resurrecting
power and judgment (verse 21, 22). The climax to His reasoning
comes in verses 28 and 29, which teach that all who have died
will be subject to one of the Judge's two resurrecting calls—the
good to life; the evil to condemnation or judgment. But such
calls would not be necessary if at death the righteous im-
mediately enter on eternal life while the wicked are cast into an
ever-burning hell. Judgment would already have been pro-
nounced and rewards bestowed for good or ill.
In harmony with Christ's own teaching of death as sleep,
what is a frequent New Testament way of referring to the
dead? Matt. 27:52. (See also Acts 7:60; 1 Cor. 11:30; 1 Cor.
15:6, 18, 20, 21, 51; Eph. 5:14; 1 Thess. 4:14; 5:10.)
Although only New Testament references are listed, the softer
word, "sleep" for "death," is also an Old Testament term. In the
New Testament examples cited, the references are uniformly to
dead saints. It is surely not thinkable that the Inspired Word
would use a false description for so important a matter as the
condition of Christians who die before Christ returns—
especially since, if the dead are not asleep, they must in some
sense be awake and presumably living in the divine Presence.
Our next two lessons will study portions of the key New Testa-
ment chapter that is devoted to the relation of Christ to resurrec-
tion.
"In consequence of Adam's sin, death passed upon the whole
human race. All alike go down into the grave. And through the
provisions of the plan of salvation, all are to be brought forth
from their graves.... They who have been 'accounted worthy' of
the resurrection of life are 'blessed and holy.' On such the
second death hath no power.' . . . But those who have not,
through repentance and faith, secured pardon, must receive the
penalty of transgression—'the wages of sin.'
"—The Great Con-
troversy,
p. 544.
For which resurrection are we preparing?
The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 257-259.
91
Sleepers, Awake!
LESSON 11
Tuesday
September 8
Part 3
How does Paul teach the central importance of the resurrec-
SIGNIFICANCE tion for the truth of Christianity's message?
OF RESURRECTION
"If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not
risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and
your faith is also vain" (1 Cor. 15:13, 14).
It is clear from verse 12 that some Christians in Corinth were
denying the truth of the resurrection of the dead, and this denial
was undermining the faith of many. The situation was serious
enough for Paul to devote more space (the entire chapter 15) to
correcting the heresy than he gave to any other single topic.
He begins by summarizing the Gospel (verses 3, 4) and by
firmly establishing the scriptural and historical truth of the lit-
eral resurrection of Christ (verses 5-8). He then presents a
closely reasoned argument which links the reliability of Christ's
resurrection to the certainty of Christians' being raised. A rejec-
tion of the believers' hope denies the historicity of our Lord's
conquest of death (verse 13). This is strong but necessary lan-
guage, for the denial of either resurrection leaves a gaping hole
in the fabric of Christian doctrine. Without the resurrection of
Christ, the doctrine has no foundation; while without the hope
of the saints' restoration, the Christian message has no point,
and preaching it is not only useless but deceptive, and believing
it is foolish.
What will be the practical result of denying the truth of
Christ's resurrection? 1 Cor. 15:17, 18.
Belief or disbelief in the resurrection of Jesus is not a merely
academic matter—it has eternal consequences. If there is no
truth in the resurrection accounts, then we have based our faith
on a fable and have no grounds for believing that Christ has
power to grant eternal life to pardoned sinners. It also means
that Christians who have died in the faith were trusting in a
falsehood. There is no hope of their being raised—they have
perished.
But, thanks be to God, there is no need to doubt. Paul was
only pointing out the grim results that would have followed if he
and his converts had been deluded. There is a further by-
product from his reasoning. The dead saints were still dead;
they were not in glory. Their redemption, no less than ours,
depends not only on the truth of the resurrection narratives, but
on Christ's triumphal return and His calling the sleepers from
their graves.
THINK IT THROUGH
92
Carefully read 1 Corinthians 15:1-19, following the writer's
line of reasoning and relating his argument to the topic of life
after death. Consult also
S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, pp.
798-804.
Sleepers, Awake!
LESSON 11
Wednesday
September 9
Part 4
After considering the losses that would accompany a denial
CERTAINTY of the resurrection, how does Paul assert the certainty and
OF RESURRECTION gain that follow the acceptance of the doctrine?
"Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-
fruits of them that slept" (1 Cor. 15:20).
"Certainly, Paul implies, none of the Corinthian believers
would deny that an integral part of the gospel message is the
resurrection of Christ (15:1-4). Therefore, they must now accept
the sequel—Christ guarantees the resurrection of the Christian
dead, as the word 'firstfruits' teaches. By 'firstfruits' Paul brings
to bear the rich imagery of the OT. The 'firstfruits'—the first
sheaf of the harvest offered to the Lord (Lev. 23:10-11, 17,
20)—was not only prior to the main harvest but was also an
assurance that the rest of the harvest was coming. So with
Christ. He preceded his people in his bodily resurrection and he
is also the guarantee of their resurrection at his second
coming."—The
Expositor's Bible Commentary
(Grand Rapids,
Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), vol. 10, p. 285.
Then comes the bold and logical affirmation in verse 22: "As
in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
Christ's virtue brings life, as Adam's son brought death. The
believer's faith is not in vain (verse 14). Christ is the firstfruits of
them that slept; the saints will rise "at his coming" (verse 23).
This implies that the saints remain dead until the Lord's appear-
ing.
In what confident language does the apostle portray the
climax of Christian hope for immortality? 1 Cor. 15:51, 52.
Here are two classes of Christians—those who "sleep" (in
death), and those who are alive at Christ's coming. Both classes
will be changed "at the last trump." If the righteous dead had
already been enjoying immortality, even if only as nebulous
spirits, they would not be needing transformation, neither
would they need to be reunited with resurrected bodies.
The apostle also declares: "We shall all be changed" (verse
51). This includes the righteous dead and the righteous living.
"The dead shall be raised incorruptible" (verse 52)—but if those
same dead have already been enjoying the incorruption of im-
mortality, they need no change. The truth is, however, that they
have succumbed to corruption in the grave and will need
Christ's transforming ministry no less than do their living breth-
ren and sisters.
THINK IT THROUGH
Meditate upon Paul's conclusion (1 Cor. 15:58) to his long
discourse on the resurrection.
FURTHER STUDY
S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, pp. 812, 813.
93
Sleepers, Awake!
LESSON 11
Thursday
September 10
Part 5
ALIVE IN
CHRIST
What comfort is there in the Bible's description of the righ-
teous dead?
"If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them
also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him" (1 Thess.
4:14).
We have already read (part 3) of those "which are fallen
asleep in Christ" (1 Cor. 15:18). Here in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16
we learn of "them which are alseep," of those who "sleep in
Jesus," and of "the dead in Christ." The common denominator
for all descriptions is Jesus or Christ. The dead whom we de-
scribe as righteous have no merit of their own that will guaran-
tee their resurrection. They have recognized that in Christ is
their only hope of salvation and have surrendered themselves
into His keeping, believing He "is able to save them to the
uttermost that come unto God by him." They have committed
themselves into strong hands. "I give unto them eternal life; and
they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of
my hand," says the Saviour (John 10:28).
When will mortals put on immortality? 1 Thess. 4:16, 17.
There is an assured harmony (concerning the first resurrec-
tion) between these verses and those we studied in yesterday's
lesson (1 Cor. 15:51, 52). It is "the last trump" that wakes the
righteous dead, who are said to be asleep, and that alerts the
living saints to the nearness of their Lord's return. The dead are
raised "incorruptible," and the righteous living are changed,
both transformations taking place "in a moment, in the twin-
kling of an eye." While it is the sleeping saints who receive first
attention—that they may join their living fellow Christians and
be ready with them to meet the Lord—neither group takes
priority in translation. "We which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air."
"The time when this glorious transformation will take place is
next indicated. It will be at the second coming of Christ, for it is
then that the 'trump of God' will sound, and faithful believers
who have died will be raised in bodies that are entirely free from
all effects of sin.... Then Christians who are alive and looking
eagerly for the coming of their Lord will undergo a marvelous
change, whereby all traces of corruption and imperfection will
be removed from their bodies, which will be made like unto
Christ's glorious body.... They will have the wondrous experi-
ence of being taken from earth to heaven without dying."—
S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 812.
THINK IT THROUGH
Whether we live until the second coming or whether we die,
are we going to be "in Christ"?
94
Sleepers, Awake!
LESSON 11
Friday
September 11
Part 6
In contrast to the prospect of death, in whom has our
LIFE ETERNAL heavenly Father made eternal life available to us?
"This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son" (1 John 5:11).
This statement is so simple that it can hardly be reduced to
simpler terms. Yet, within its simplicity it holds the deepest
spiritual insights that were granted to the beloved disciple,
John. Within it he distills the essence of the gospel—eternal life
is a gift from God, who has channeled that life through His Son.
This follows the pattern adopted by God in dealing with our
fallen world and its inhabitants. (See John 3:16; 5:22; 17:2; Matt.
11:27.) He does all through Christ, the Mediator between God
and man.
"But this great sacrifice was not made in order to create in the
Father's heart a love for man, not to make Him willing to save.
No, no! 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten
Son.' John 3:16. The Father loves us, not because of the great
propitiation, but He provided the propitiation because He loves
us."—Steps to Christ,
p. 13.
From the fact that eternal life is in God's Son, what further
truths does the apostle draw? 1 John 5:12.
1.
"He that hath the Son hath life." This teaching is not
original with John; he received it from Jesus and from observing
His influence on men and women. He records the Master's own
words on the subject in his Gospel (John 5:24; 6:40, 47; 11:26)
and includes his own conclusions (1:4, 12).
2.
"He that hath not the Son of God hath not life." This is an
inevitable consequence of rejecting the Source of Life. "Belief
or disbelief in the Son of God is a matter of life or death; for,
while to the believer His coming is the supreme revelation of
God's love bringing the assurance of eternal life, to the unbe-
liever it is the sign that he remains the object of God's displea-
sure."— R. V. G. Tasker, ed.,
Tyndale New Testament Commen-
taries, The Gospel According to St. John
(Grand Rapids, Mich.:
William B. Eerdmans, 1973), p. 73.
Our possession or loss of eternal life depends on our attitude
to Jesus. There is no way of bypassing this requirement. It
makes possession of that life sound easy, deceptively so, and
makes its loss sound arbitrary but inescapable. This is the gos-
pel. Each one of us must decide to accept or reject it. Our
decision will determine our future, whether it will be everlasting
or tragically brief.
THINK IT THROUGH
What think ye of Christ? This is a large part of life's most
important question. The remaining part is: What are you doing
about Christ? How strong is His influence in your daily living?
95
LESSON 12 September 13-19
112 trato Eternilly
"When this corruptible shall have
put on incorruption, and this mortal
shall have put on immortality, then
shall be brought to pass the saying that
is written, Death is swallowed up in
victory. 0 death, where is thy sting? 0
grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor.
15:54,
55).
Humans are shortsighted in
respect to the future. We cannot see
one day ahead. A year, a decade, a
century become increasingly foggy
as they stretch ahead of us. It is easy
then for us to go off on a tangent and
wander far from truth. But we do
have "a more sure word of
prophecy" as "a light that shineth in
a dark place" (2 Peter 1:19). So the
general features of the future are
sketched out before us—they loom
as mountain peaks, sometimes
wrapped in mist, other times lighted
by a setting sun. Between those
peaks lie extensive valleys of which
we see nothing and of which we
should say
no
ting apart from any
information that comes from Him
who sees the end from the
beginning.
The subject of the resurrection
leads us far into the future, to the
threshold of eternity, into a land of
which we know little, and into which
the Bible gives but a few entrancing
glimpses. But since eternity lies
ahead, there will be ample time for
exploration and endless
opportunities to enlarge our
knowledge. Our present need is to
discover the landmarks which our
Lord has set up to save us from being
lost.
Biblical records of resurrections
and insistence on resurrection for all
members of the human family give us
the guidance we need. Those
records and forecasts give us a
compass bearing and set our eyes on
some of the peaks that lie ahead. We
cannot know all of the ups and
downs that await us, no more than
we can see all of a road over which
we have never before traveled. But
the "more sure word of prophecy"
provides both map and compass,
which will guide us to "the land that
is very far off" (Isa. 33:17).
The highest event on our present
horizon is the second coming of
Christ. At this juncture we are not
pausing to explore its awe-inspiring
details, but we will stay to look at
associated events—the first and
second resurrections, and the period
that lies between, which we call the
millennium.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Eternal Life—When?
(John 5:24)
2.
Redemption for the Righteous
(1 Thess. 4:16)
3.
Privileged Employ-1000 Years
(Rev. 20:4)
4.
Destruction for Sinners
(Rev. 20:5)
5.
God's Merciful Justice
(Lam. 3:22, 23)
6.
New Bodies
(1 Cor. 15:35)
Into Eternity
LESSON 12
Sunday
September 13
Part 1
With what assurance does Jesus convey His expectations
ETERNAL of resurrection and everlasting life for His followers?
LIFE—WHEN?
THINK IT THROUGH
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and
believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall
not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto
life" (John 5:24).
Here we have only a small sample of our Lord's teaching on
this aspect of Christian belief. In many ways and at many times
He taught the long-term nature of His redemptive program. He
who knew all things was not expecting an immediate rescue of
mankind from death's clutches. He knew that untold numbers
of His followers would go to the grave and remain there until
"the last day" (see the second part of today's lesson). This did
not prevent Him, however, from foreseeing triumph over death
by resurrection and the beginning of everlasting life for those
who "believe on him that sent" Him.
What is God's design for those who see His Son and believe
on Him? John 6:40.
While speaking with skeptical and materialistic Jews in the
Capernaum synagogue (verse 59), Jesus boldly declared His
Father's plan for all who would accept His Son. First, "every one
which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlast-
ing life." The linking of seeing and believing shows that more
than physical sight is required. This is implied in the word used
for "seeing," which is better translated "beholding" or "looking
upon"—that is,
perceiving
in Jesus of Nazareth the Son of God
and consequently believing that He is the One through whom
salvation comes. There is nothing arbitrary in God's will for His
people: He is only making their redemption possible. "Those
who see Christ in His true character, and receive Him into the
heart, have everlasting life. It is through the Spirit that Christ
dwells in us; and the Spirit of God, received into the heart by
faith, is the beginning of the life eternal."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 388.
Second, faith is needed not only for the initial act of belief, but
also for holding on to the promise of eternal life, for this will not
be fully realized until "the last day." This points to a resurrec-
tion, without which a great proportion of the divine promises
would remain unfulfilled. As we continue our study, we should
gain a deeper understanding of the crucial importance of resur-
rection in the divine design.
The Lord has made it possible for us to be raised at the last
day. Are we making it possible for Him to fulfill His intention?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
p. 530.
98
Into Eternity
LESSON 12
Monday
September 14
Part 2
In contrast to His ascension, how public will Christ's return
REDEMPTION FOR be, and what will be its immediate result for believers?
THE RIGHTEOUS
"The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and
the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1 Thess. 4:16).
These words that are so familiar to Adventists merit careful
thought because, with verse 17, they unveil so many facets of
our Lord's glorious return. After the resurrection of the sleeping
saints, we are assured that "we who are still alive and are left will
be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so will we be with the Lord forever" (verse 17, NIV).
Thus it is that the promises recorded in John 14:1-3 will be at
last fulfilled. Christ had gone to prepare a place for His own, and
that place is ready. He promised to come again and to take His
disciples to Himself, and now they will be forever where He is. At
that time the many assurances of being granted eternal life will
be fulfilled to the resurrected and to the living believers.
In Scripture how is this resurrection designated? Rev.
20:4-6.
These verses may cause confused thinking unless they are
read carefully. Let us summarize them here. John sees the
faithful living and reigning with Christ 1000 years (verse 4). To
account for the unfaithful dead, he inserts a phrase (verse 5,
which is accepted by most as being parenthetical) to explain
that they would not rise until the end of those thousand years.
He then returns to his main theme begun in verse 4 and continu-
ing in the closing sentence of verse 5 and into verse 6. There we
meet the only two scriptural references to "the first resurrec-
tion," but they are enough to identify and define it for us—it is
the resurrection of the righteous redeemed. In John 5:29 Jesus
describes it as "the resurrection of life," and in Luke 14:14 it is
called "the resurrection of the just."
THINK IT THROUGH
"0 then what raptured greetings,
On Canaan's happy shore!
What knitting severed friendships up
Where partings are no more!"
—Henry Alford,
The Lutheran Hymnary
(Minneapolis,
Minn.: Augsburg Publishing House,
1935), no. 617.
FURTHER STUDY
Early Writings,
pp. 52-54.
99
Into Eternity
LESSON 12
Tuesday
September 15
Part 3
What will be a vital part of the work of the redeemed during
PRIVILEGED the millennium?
EMPLOY-
1000 YEARS
"I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was
given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were be-
headed for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and
which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image,
neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their
hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand
years" (Rev. 20:4).
The revelator sees a vivid tableau in heaven. There are
thrones, symbols of kingly and judicial power. "They" who sat
upon them are quickly shown to be the saints who have re-
mained faithful to Christ, many of them even unto death. To
them was granted the responsibility of judgment—that is why
they are enthroned. This appears to be the occasion foreseen by
Daniel—"judgment was given to the saints of the most High"
(Dan. 7:22), though it should be noted that many modern trans-
lations render the same phrase, "judgment was given in favour
of the saints of the Most High" (NEB). Paul asks the Corinthians
if they do not know that "the saints shall judge the world" and
that "we shall judge angels" (1 Cor. 6:2, 3). "The world" must
refer to unrepentan,t sinners, since the glorified saints will not
come under any judicial review at that time and would, in any
case, not be judging themselves. "Angels" must be those who
followed Lucifer, since those who are loyal to God will need no
judgment. It therefore appears that it is the resurrected saints of
all ages who will participate with Christ in judging those who
have spurned the love of God as revealed in Christ's saving
ministry. "In union with Christ they judge the wicked, compar-
ing their acts with the statute book, the Bible, and deciding
every case according to the deeds done in the body."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 661.
What other activities will occupy the saints during the
thousand years? Rev. 20:6.
The ransomed ones, united with Christ at the time of the first
resurrection, will render priestly service in the presence of God,
will be corulers with Christ during the millennium. This is not
surprising. Angels have been ministering before the Most High
God from time immemorial and have been assisting the Son in
His kingly tasks through past eternity. It is surely appropriate
that those who have become sons of God should also partici-
pate in heaven's government while in their Father's house.
THINK IT THROUGH
What preparation can we make today to be among the
saints during the millennium?
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 658-661.
100
Into Eternity
LESSON 12
Wednesday
September 16
Part 4
How can the resurrection of "the rest of the dead" be iden-
DESTRUCTION tified, and when will it take place?
FOR SINNERS
"The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand
years were finished" (Rev. 20:5).
If the resurrection of the just is called "the first," the one that
follows becomes "the second," though it is not so called in
Scripture. We do read, however, of "the second death," which
presupposes a second resurrection (verse 14). There is no room
for doubt on the timing of this second event. It occurs at the end
of the thousand years. At that time "they that have done evil"
shall hear Christ's voice "and shall come forth . . . unto the
resurrection of damnation," that is, judgment (John 5:28, 29).
"At the first resurrection all come forth in immortal bloom, but
at the second, the marks of the curse are visible upon all. All
come up as they went down into their graves. Those who lived
before the flood, come forth with their giant-like stature, more
than twice as tall as men now living upon the earth, and well
proportioned. The generations after the flood were less in
stature."—Spiritual Gifts,
vol. 3, p. 84.
What notable event signals the close of the thousand
years? Rev. 20:7.
The devil, that is, Satan, has been bound for a thousand years
(Rev. 20:1, 2). But the Lord of hosts cannot consider keeping the
producer of sin in endless captivity, for that would perpetuate
sin and keep the universe ever hostage to its evil possibilities.
Neither can the Just One arbitrarily destroy the prime sinner and
his dupes. Those who oppose God must be permitted to reveal
their true natures, and that opportunity comes at the close of the
millennium (verse 3). All who have chosen sin and rejected
divine mercy, from Cain to the unrepentant who have been slain
by the glory of the second advent (Rev. 6:15-17), now being
raised, will make their final, desperate attempt to overthrow the
government of God (Rev. 20:8, 9). Here is the supreme illustra-
tion of the inescapable truth concerning persistent, unrepented
sin: "Sin, when it is f inished, bringeth forth death" (James 1:15).
What are our daily lives doing to save God's rebellious
children from the horrors of the second death (Rev. 20:10-15)?
FURTHER STUDY
S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol.
7, pp. 883, 884.
101
THINK IT THROUGH
Into Eternity
LESSON 12
Thursday
September 17
Part 5
GOD'S MERCIFUL
JUSTICE
Which of the divine characteristics is responsible for our
own continued existence?
"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, be-
cause his compassions fail not. They are new every morning:
great is thy faithfulness" (Lam. 3:22, 23).
This beautiful, factual declaration of the Lord's mercy should
give us a spiritual equilibrium in face of the havoc wrought by
sin. Sin produces death—both that common to the human race
and the eternal death of the lost. If it were not for the Lord's
mercies, our ancestors would have been consumed long ago,
and we might not even have existed. That we continue to live is
due entirely to God's mercy and compassion—qualities derived
from His being the embodiment of love. This revelation of God's
mercy is woven into the warp and woof of both Testaments. In the
Old, the pattern is superbly displayed in Exodus 34:5, 6, in Jer-
emiah 31:3, and in Micah 7:18. In the New, it is depicted in John
3:16, in Matthew 23:34-38, and in Titus 3:5. How grateful we
should be for the depth and continuity of God's mercy!
When the Lord's mercy is rejected, what only can be the
final outcome of sin? James 1:15.
Sin has always been destructive. It blights everything it
touches and, if uninterrupted, causes death. A hint of the man-
ner in which sin itself is finally destroyed may be seen in the fate
that is prophetically forecast for Lucifer, the author of sin. The
judgment of the fallen cherub comes not from a vengeful Deity,
but, as Ezekiel foretells, "a fire from the midst of thee, it shall
devour thee." (Eze. 28:18.) When God's protecting hand is
withdrawn from Lucifer, the sin he has so long cherished and
which he has shared with his deluded hosts, will be as a fire
within him, and will bring him "to ashes upon the earth." This
may be one aspect of the terrible fate depicted in Revelation
20:10. It is undoubtedly the ultimate fulfillment of Romans 6:23:
"The wages of sin is death."
"Satan deceives many with the plausible theory that God's
love for His people is so great that He will excuse sin in them....
But in all His dealings with His creatures God has maintained
the principles of righteousness by revealing sin in its true
character—by demonstrating that its sure result is misery and
death. The unconditional pardon of sin never has been, and
never will be. Such pardon would show the abandonment of the
principles of righteousness, which are the very foundation of
the government of
God."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 522.
THINK IT THROUGH
To what degree are we conscious that our daily lives are
dependent on the Lord's mercies?
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 39-43.
102
Into Eternity
LESSON 12
Friday
September 18
Part 6
To which questions regarding resurrection, occuring natur-
NEW BODIES ally to an inquiring mind, does Paul give his inspired atten-
tion?
"Some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with
what body do they come?" (1 Cor. 15:35).
Those few who were raised from the dead and given a further
lease on life during biblical times returned to their normal,
earth-bound environments. Apart from being healed of fatal
weakness and disease, their bodies remained as they had been
before death. They were returned to life but were still subject to
death. This cannot be so for those who participate in the first
resurrection, or the living who are translated with them. Paul
enlarged on this theme: "It fthe body
.
' is sown in corruption; it is
raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory:
it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power" (1 Cor. 15:42, 43).
"Sin defaced and almost obliterated the divine image; but
Christ came to restore that which had been lost. He will change
our vile bodies, and fashion them like unto His glorious body.
The mortal, corruptible form, devoid of comeliness, once pol-
luted with sin, becomes perfect, beautiful, and immortal. All
blemishes and deformities are left in the grave."—The
Great
Controversy,
p. 645.
For what reason might the apostle bluntly turn our attention
from the earthly to the eternal? 1 Cor. 15:49.
It is so easy to be obsessed with "the earthy," and to give less
than second place to "the heavenly." But Paul reminds us that
our present natural body has a limited life, while our future is
linked to a heavenly or spiritual form. This is said in still more
memorable language in 2 Corinthians 4:18: "The things which
are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are
eternal." This piece of religious philosophy is closely tied to the
question of resurrection and the firmness of our belief in it. We
need, then, to "look not at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen" (verse 18). In other words, we need
to cultivate the eternal outlook. "If we are indeed journeying
thither, the spirit of heaven will dwell in our hearts here. But if
we find no pleasure now in the contemplation of heavenly
things; if we have no interest in seeking the knowledge of God,
no delight in beholding the character of Christ; if holiness has
no attractions for us—then we may be sure that our hope of
heaven is
vain."—Testimonies,
vol. 5, p. 745.
THINK IT THROUGH
What does our life-style proclaim regarding our belief in the
reality and the nearness of the first resurrection?
FURTHER STUDY
Phil. 3:18-21;
Testimonies, vol.
1, pp. 705-707.
103
LESSON 13 September 20-26
il3 Fruits of
eiblef
111'4
"The God of peace, that brought
again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that great shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood of the everlasting
covenant, make you perfect in every
good work to do his will, working in
you that which is wellpleasing in his
sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be
glory for
ever
and ever. Amen" (Heb.
13:20, 21).
This beautiful petition, coming at
the close of the Epistle to the
Hebrews, asks that the book's
message might lead its readers to
perfection. This week's lesson has a
somewhat similar purpose. For
twelve weeks we have had fellowship
with the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit, studying Their creativity
in nature and in our own lives. Now,
at the close of the quarter, we are
taking time for a backward glance
over some of our beliefs, in an
endeavor to apply their principles to
our daily conduct. Belief and
conduct should be inseparably
linked as cause and effect. Perhaps,
whether we know it or not, they
always are. When there is an
apparent and regrettable
contradiction between the two, our
conduct may only be reflecting a
corresponding weakness in one or
more of our beliefs. There is an old
confession which undoubtedly
expresses truth for each one of us:
"We have done those things we
ought not to have done, and left
undone those things we ought to
have done." A fresh confrontation
with our own inconsistencies may
help us to utter with new earnestness
the prayer from Dryden's translation
of a ninth-century hymn: "Make us
eternal truth receive, and practise all
that we believe." And that, after all, is
the core and the touchstone of our
religion: "Not every one that saith
unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is
in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). As Thomas1
Kempis said more than five hundred
years ago, "When the Day of
Judgment comes, we shall not be
asked what we have read, but what
we have done; not how well we have
spoken, but how religiously [i.e.,
righteously] we have lived"—The
Imitation of Christ,
bk. 1, ch. 3:3.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Father of Mercies
(Ps. 103:13, 14)
2.
Saviour From Sin
(1 Tim. 1:15)
3.
Promise of Power
(Acts 4:31)
4.
Law Lovers
(Ps. 119:97)
5.
Lovers of New Life
(Rom. 12:2)
6.
Raised Like Christ
(Col. 2:12)
Fruits of Belief
LESSON 13
Sunday
September 20
Part 1
How effective is it for David to use the example of human
FATHER OF parentage to reveal our heavenly Father's compassion for
MERCIES us?
"Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them
that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that
we are dust" (Ps. 103:13, 14).
The psalmist uses the created to introduce the Creator, but he
realizes the poverty of the comparison. The purest of human
affections, however, do reflect their source—the vast compas-
sion of God. This is yoked to His qualities of mercy and grace
(verse 8)—infinite in extent and eternal in duration (verse 17).
Our response to them should be not only gratitude, but, with
divine aid, imitation.
"The one thing essential for us in order that we may receive
and impart the forgiving love of God is to know and believe the
love that He has to us. Satan is working by every deception he
can command, in order that we may not discern that love. .. But
we may tell the enemy that 'the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanseth us from all sin.' When we feel that we have sinned,
and cannot pray, it is then time to
pray."—Thoughts From the
Mount of Blessing,
p. 115.
What should be our response to God's goodness toward
us? Ps. 103:1, 2.
THINK IT THROUGH
David was well acquainted with "the mercy of the Lord." He
knew that his daily life depended on it, and much of his spirit of
praise in psalms sprang from gratitude for benefits that flowed
from the Lord's unfailing kindness toward him. That is why he
cried, "Bless the Lord, 0 my soul." In saying this, he is not
bestowing a blessing on the Almighty but is bidding himself—
his soul—praise the Lord for all mercies received. It is we who
are doubly blessed, first by divine benevolence, then by the act
of praising the Giver. "It is for our own benefit to keep every gift
of God fresh in our memory. Thus faith is strengthened to claim
and to receive more and more. There is greater encouragement
for us in the least blessing we ourselves receive from God than
in all the accounts we can read of the faith and experience of
others. The soul that responds to the grace of God shall be like a
watered garden."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 348.
When did you last count your blessings and thank God for
them?
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 753-755.
106
Fruits of Belief
LESSON 13
Monday
September 21
Part 2
For what purpose above all others did the Son of God come
SAVIOUR into our world?
FROM SIN
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I
am chief" (1 Tim. 1:15).
This has always been Christ's mission from Eden onward, but
humanity has ever been willing to ignore the divine purpose and
to substitute lesser objectives which fall short of salvation from
sin. The Son certainly came to set us an example (1 Peter 2:21),
but that alone would have done no permanent good, for we have
no power in ourselves to copy that example (Rom. 7:18). Thank
God that His sights were set higher. In Peter's words, He sent
Jesus "to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his
iniquities" (Acts 3:26). That is why the Son was given the name
Jesus ("Jehovah is salvation"), "for he shall save his people
from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). "Jesus died, not to save man
in
his
sins, but
from
his sins. Man is to leave the error of his ways, to
follow the example of Christ, to take up his cross and follow
Him, denying self, and obeying God at any
cost."—
Testimonies,vol.
4, p. 251.
At what personal cost did the Lord of glory make our salva-
tion possible? Isa. 53:5.
This is only a very small part of the picture, but it lifts a corner
of the veil to give a glimpse of the divine Sufferer. In moving
language it shows His being wounded (or tormented), bruised
(or crushed), punished, scourged because of our transgres-
sions and iniquities, that we might find peace and healing. We
need to read the whole of this chapter at frequent intervals to
deepen our realization that "the Lord hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all." Such reading would also help us fulfill the
counsel given in
The Desire of Ages,
page 83: "It would be well
for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of
the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the
imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As
we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in
Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we
shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be
saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humilia-
tion at the foot of the cross."
THINK IT THROUGH
When did I last behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the
sin of the world? Am I allowing Him to free me from my sins?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 25, 26.
107
Fruits of Belief
LESSON 13
Tuesday
September 22
Part 3
What Power made it possible for the apostles to fulfill their
PROMISE Christ-given commission?
OF POWER
"When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they
were assembled together; and they were all filled with the
Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness"
(Acts 4:31).
One of the most striking of all the miracles that accompanied
the founding and development of the early church was the
transformation of timid disciples into powerful apostles. This
change was brought about in large part by the ministry of the
Holy Spirit. In accordance with Christ's promise, they had ini-
tially received power by the Spirit's coming upon them at
Pentecost (Acts 1:8; 2:4). But this was not a one-time event. It
was repeated in response to prayer and need, even as recorded
in the above verse and in Acts 2:33. Their experience, which was
shared by the central group of Christians in Jerusalem, may be
ours, too, when we follow a similar Spirit-centered program.
"Since this is the means by which we are to receive power, why
do we not hunger and thirst for the gift of the Spirit? Why do we
not talk of it, pray for it, and preach concerning it? The Lord is
more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who serve Him than
parents are to give good gifts to their children."—The
Acts of
the Apostles,
p. 50.
What effect did the coming of the Spirit have on "the mul-
titude of them that believed"? Acts 4:32.
Unless He is restricted by us in His ministry, the Spirit does not
make selections that exclude rank-and-file church members
from receiving power from on high. The new believers had
witnessed Pentecost, had been baptized, and had been prom-
ised "the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38, 39). That promise
had been fulfilled (Acts 4:31). As a result they "were of one heart
and of one soul" (verse 32). This Spirit-inspired unity not only
gave power to themselves, but laid a strong foundation on
which the apostles were able to build a still mightier ministry
(verse 33). "Thus it was in the early church; and when in the
church of today it is seen that by the power of the Spirit the mem-
bers have taken their affections from the things of the world,
and that they are willing to make sacrifices in order that their fel-
low men may hear the gospel, the truths proclaimed will have a
powerful influence upon the hearers."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 71.
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
108
We talk much about the gift of the Spirit. What are we per-
sonally doing, how are we personally living, to encourage the
Spirit to come into our daily lives?
The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 49-56.
Fruits of Belief
LESSON 13
Wednesday
September 23
Part 4
LAW LOVERS
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the ideal response to the law of the Lord?
"0 how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day" (Ps.
119:97).
The Hebrew word
torah
is translated in this text as "law." As
we have observed in lesson 6, part 2, reference to law embraces
more than the Decalogue.
Torah
denotes the total body of in-
struction given to God's people. It is appropriate, then, that the
loyal follower love the Lord's instruction. He recognizes it is
sound counsel, intended for his protection and guidance. He
does not find it wearying. As he grows in religious experience,
he can even echo his Lord's words: "I delight to do thy will, 0 my
God: yea, thy law is within my heart" (Ps. 40:8).
When the same loyalist says, "It is my meditation all the day,"
it is unlikely that he spends all his waking hours pondering on
the Torah; but rather, he constantly—consciously or otherwise
—seeks God's guidance for each day's situations and finds the
law of the Lord adequate for all eventualities.
What is the most important issue in commandment keep-
ing? Matt. 22:36-40.
This exposition of the essence of the law was already known
in Judaism, having been clearly stated by Moses (Deut. 6:5;
10:12, 13; 30:6). But its truth had long been clouded by legalism,
and the Lawgiver was needed to remind men that acceptable
law keeping issued from love—love for God and man.
"It is not possible for the heart in which Christ abides to be
destitute of love. If we love God because He first loved us, we
shall love all for whom Christ died. We cannot come in touch
with divinity without coming in touch with humanity; for in Him
who sits upon the throne of the universe, divinity and humanity
are combined. Connected with Christ, we are connected with
our fellow men by the golden links of the chain of love. Then the
pity and compassion of Christ will be manifest in our life. We
shall not wait to have the needy and unfortunate brought to us.
We shall not need to be entreated to feel for the woes of others.
It will be as natural for us to minister to the needy and suffering
as it was for Christ to go about doing
good."—Christ's Object
Lessons,
pp. 384, 385.
What hinders us from holding a right attitude to God's
commandments—is it shallow thinking, unrecognized at-
tachment to sinful thought and habit, or failure to love Him who
first loved us?
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 472-474.
109
Fruits of Belief
LESSON 13
Thursday
September 24
Part 5
LOVERS OF
NEW LIFE
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
110
What counsel does Paul give to Christians which, if fol-
lowed, will enable them to do God's will?
"Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by
the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:2).
This message is for all believers. The apostle exhorts us to
resist pressures that would turn us into world! ings. Instead, we
are urged to permit ourselves to be completely changed. (The
Greek word translated "transformed" is that from which our
word
metamorphosis
is derived, and it is in Matthew 17:2 for the
transfiguration of Christ.) When we are born again, we are given
new minds as well as new hearts, but we must not stand still in
mind or spirit. We must continually develop, striving to fulfill
God's perfect will. (Compare Eph. 4:13.)
"Man, fallen man, may be transformed by the renewing of the
mind, so that he can 'prove what is that good, and acceptable,
and perfect, will of God.' How does he prove this? By the Holy
Spirit taking possession of his mind, spirit, heart, and character.
Where does the proving come in? 'We are made a spectacle
unto the world, and to angels, and to men.' A real work is
wrought by the Holy Spirit upon the human character, and its
fruits are seen."—Ellen G. White Comments,
S.D.A. Bible
Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 1080.
How can we further assist the divine Power in the transfor-
mation of our characters? Col. 3:12.
While we are saved by God's grace and not by any merit of our
own, it is not intended that we should be spiritual robots. We are
meant to cooperate with the Lord in His redemptive work. It is in
this spirit that we are urged to "put on" or "clothe ourselves
with" a compassionate heart, kindness, humility—not merely of
manner but of thought, meekness, or courtesy—and patience.
Not everyone who possesses one or more of these qualities is a
Christian, but a Christian should possess these spiritual, social
gifts. "If you live upon the plan of addition, adding grace to
grace, God will multiply unto you His grace. While you add, God
multiplies. If you cherish a habitual impression that God sees
and hears all that you do and say, and keeps a faithful record of
all your words and actions, and that you must meet it all, then in
all you do and say you will seek to follow the dictates of an
enlightened and wakeful conscience."—Testimonies, vol. 4, p.
244.
How much have I grown since baptism? What spiritual and
intellectual growth has come during the past year?
Steps to Christ,
"Consecration," pp. 43-48.
Fruits of Belief
LESSON 13
Friday
September 25
Part 6
In Christian doctrine there is a close connection between
RAISED
baptism and resurrection. The first is preparation for the sec-
LIKE CHRIST
ond. He who refuses baptism has no right to expect resurrec-
tion. But baptism is more than immersion in water, and resur-
rection is more than rising from a grave. As genuine baptismal
experience brings "newness of life," so the first resurrection
will bring a new and eternal life (John 11:25, 26). In this closing
lesson of the quarter, then, let us explore the deep spiritual
significance of both experiences.
"Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with
him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised
him from the dead" (Col. 2:12).
Here the apostle clearly links baptism and resurrection, but
only as both are associated with Christ. We must be "buried
with him
in baptism." Jesus Himself was baptized as an example
for us to follow, and baptism is beneficial only as we con-
sciously follow the Example. When that condition is fulfilled,
then what God did for Christ in raising Him from the dead will
operate similarly on our behalf.
What eternal assurance can we gain from our baptismal
experience? Rom. 6:5.
The little word "if" has great significance here. It requires that
in passing through baptismal waters we actually die to sin as
surely as Jesus died and was buried after crucifixion. When this
death takes place in our lives, then we have the promise of
sharing in Christ's eternal life by His grace through the first
resurrection. In this way our present choice of action decides
our eternal future—for life or for death.
"The vows which we take upon ourselves in baptism embrace
much. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit we
are buried in the likeness of Christ's death and raised in the
likeness of His resurrection, and we are to live a new life. Our life
is to be bound up with the life of Christ. Henceforth the believer
is to bear in mind that he is dedicated to God, to Christ, and to
the Holy Spirit.... Publicly he has declared that he will no longer
live in pride and self-indulgence. He is no longer to live a care-
less, indifferent life. He has made a covenant with God. He has
died to the world. He is to live to the
Lord."—Testimonies,
vol. 6,
pp. 98, 99.
THINK IT THROUGH
Most of us remember our birthdays. Would it help our
spiritual growth if we annually commemorated the day of our
baptism? Is our Christian life "newer" now than then?
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"Growing Up Into Christ," pp. 67-75.
111
4fth
vim/ X14°
Sabbath School members who have not received a copy of the Adult Lessons for the
fourth quarter of 1981 will be helped by the following outline in studying the first two
lessons. The title of the series is "This We Believe (Part Two)."
First Lesson
OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST
Memory Text, Heb. 3:1
1.
Tabernacle and Temple (Ex. 25:8, 9)
2. The Priest's Office (Ex. 28:1)
3. The Perfect Priest (Heb. 8:1, 2)
4. "Like Unto His Brethren" (Heb. 2:17)
5.
Our Intercessor (Heb. 9:24)
6. The Believer's Response (Heb. 4:16)
Second Lesson
JUDGMENT AND THE JUDGE
Memory Text, 2 Cor. 5:10
1. Subject to Judgment (Gen. 1:28)
2.
God and Judgment (Eccl. 12:13, 14)
3.
Judgment on Earth (Lev. 6:2-7)
4.
Judgment in Heaven (Dan. 8:14)
5.
New Testament and Judgment (Acts 17:30, 31)
6.
Preparation for Judgment (1 John 2:1)
Lessons in 3raille
The regular Adult Sabbath School Lessons are available free each month it
Braille and 16
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cannot hold or focus on normal inkprint publications. Contact the Christiar
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tot
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114
BALANCE
The
WORKING CLASS
OUR STUDY TIME WITH SHARE TIME BY
RANSFORMING YOUR SABBATH SCHOOL
CLASS INTO AN EVANGELISTIC UNIT.
Suggested Class Projects
Prison ministry
Branch Sabbath Schools • Literature ministry
Religious survey of neighborhood
Story hours • Visitation of shut-ins
Singing bands for nursing homes
In gathering
What is your SOUL GOAL?
rtaleza
CHI
UNIO
13th Sabbath
Projects
1.
Construction of
Trans-Amazon
Academy.
2.
Evangelistic
Center for
Fortaleza, and
chapels
throughout North
Brazil Union.
3.
Two new
academies, and
new dormitory
for a third in
South Brazil
Union.
AUSTRAL
UNION
deo
Church
S.S.
Population Churches Members Members
Austral
32,500,030
208
41,288
39,818
Chile
10,918,485
136
34,306
29,421
East Brazil
69,551,800
310
89,577
95,797
Inca
31,117,348
304
10E1,786
119,670
North Brazil
16,509,186
84
46,382
50,422
South Brazil
52,5130,300
441
144,715
139,884
DIVISION TOTALS
213,177,099
1,483
465,064
474,992
Figures
as
of Fourth Quarter 1979
71erra del Fuego
Unions
South American Division